Word Of Honor
by Chibi-Taisho
Summary: COMPLETELY REWRITTEN! Previously named 'Her Oaths Of Existence.' Explanation in Ch 1 & 8 - Living through tragedies and losses, Kagome now only lives to protect her loved ones and keep the promises she made. Can the Host club get through her cold exterior and accept who she really is? Or will they be pushed away as Kagome's past comes back to haunt her?
1. The Final Outcome

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

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><p><strong>ATTENTION READER! YOU MUST READ THIS BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO THE STORY!<strong>

If you have been reading this story since when I first published it, then I am sorry to say you must re-read it. I was not satisfied with how the story held such cliche elements in the beginning and decided to redo it. The plot in general is still the same, there are only some details that I changed to make the events fall more smoothly. The way I portrayed the characters, to me, were completely OOC and I made a lot of grammatical mistakes. The only OOC I wanted was Kagome as a result from all her harsh experiences. Now that I have experience in story writing, I went back to re-write it and I am far happier with it now. The main chapters to change were one and two. The rest stayed the same, only a few details here and there or phrases worded differently, but it is generally the same. How the story is now is how I had originally wanted it to go, but too many story ideas caused me to force too many components together that didn't fit well in my excitement. Again, I apologize and I hope you come to enjoy the rewritten version better than the original. :)

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><p>Dull, sapphire eyes stared blankly at the sodden ground as a small figure rested against the Goshinboku within the darkness of night. Her soaked midnight blue hair stuck to her porcelain clear skin, leaving heavy rain drops to fall from her mane's tips. The once beautiful blue fighting kimono, which held the insignia of the House of the Moon, was covered with so much blood and sweat that it clung to her visibly exhausted body. The occasional gash and bruise seen on her was proof enough of the bloody war she had endured. The years of witnessing innocents' deaths, spilled blood and endless battle showed clearly in her now somber eyes. The reason behind the senseless fighting, the Shikon no Tama, now rested within her chest alongside her heart. The little gem remained pure despite its guardian's overwhelmingly depressed aura. Her eyes soon became glazed over, her arms wrapping around her legs for self-comfort, as she recalled the events of the Final Battle.<p>

**Flashback:**

**Kagome stood, watching the sun fall into the horizon. A cruel sensation entered into her broad circle of senses. Naraku. He was coming. She could feel his half of the jewel shards approaching, from miles away, to the open clearing her and her friends resided in; its dark power created by the malicious aura of its current possessor. By her side stood the imposing figure of the Lord of the West, Sesshomaru, his regal posture tense with anticipation for the coming clash of forces. On her other side stood Kouga, Prince of the Eastern Lands, standing tall, flexing his claws with a determined expression on his face. Behind her stood the rest of the inu-tachi, along with Kikyo, Ayame and some wolves, scattered about. Shippo, Ginta, Hakkaku, Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un had stayed behind with Kaede to protect the village. It had finally come. The day she and her friends had trained, bled and fought for: the Final Battle.**

**She knew they were prepared. After a year of her first falling into the well, she had grown tired of relying on her friends for protection and listening to Inuyasha complain that he always had to save her. She was determined to become strong and prove him wrong. She had, with the help of Kaede and Miroku, complete control of her miko ki. She had also mastered the art of youkai exterminating from Sango, trained with Kouga on her endurance and stamina, and Ayame with her agility and speed. Although she has improved greatly, she was only ningen, still weak when compared to a youkai. In time, even after all her work, she still believed she could do better. **

**So she had sought out the help of Lord Sesshomaru and offered him a proposition. In exchange for caring for Rin and her human needs, he would become her new sensei. He had immediately refused, stating he did not want the responsibility of another weak, human girl. But after much explaining of her previous training and a spar to prove her worth, he had reluctantly agreed, stating that as Alpha female of Inuyasha's pack and guardian of the Shikon no Tama, she must be powerful to protect those under her care. Being under his tutelage had been intense, but she had managed well and won his respect, a feat that was once considered impossible. Although the apathetic youkai never told her such, Kagome knew she was considered pack just by his actions alone. She herself viewed him as an older brother and had learned to pay more attention to what he left as unsaid and focus on non-verbal communication. And t****hanks to her experiences, she had learned to shed her naive ways, maturing to see the world through a calculative eye. She was more than able to care for herself instead of relying on Inuyasha as she used to when she was an ignorant, schoolgirl.**

**'**_**It's not like he was always going to be by my side anyway,' **_**she thought bitterly. And she had been right. Looking behind her she saw Inuyasha standing protectively in front of Kikyo. Not long after completing her training with Sesshomaru, Kikyo had joined the group, per Inuyasha's request. His world seemed to only have room for Kikyo now. Those amber eyes that once brightened at the sight of Kagome, were now always dark with indifference. **

**She was broken out of her thoughts as she heard a roar and felt the auras of thousands of demons quickly approaching. Soon Naraku appeared before them on the other side of the clearing. His body covered by his baboon pelt. Kagura floated on her feather with Kanna and Kohaku. Magatsuhi stood to Naraku's side, an evil grin on his face. No words were said. One could only hear the angry growls from the youkai and the increasing heart beats as it pumped adrenaline in every ones' body. With a wicked laugh, Naruku raised his hand and with a flick of his wrist, it had begun.**

**The first wave of the thousands of youkai that floated behind him shot forward, intending to bring them excruciating pain and a slow death. Weapons ready, her family waited for the signal. As the horde closed in around them, at the last second, Kagome threw a pink barrier around them. It both protected them and destroyed the weak youkai outside and turned them to ash. The first wave had been destroyed. Naraku looked on with surprise, but it soon turned to wicked glee at the show of power.**

"**Kukuku, well done little miko. It seems you're not as useless as you once were. Tell me, has Inuyasha finally replaced you for the empty shell of your incarnate?" he taunted. Inuyasha growled angrily for insulting Kikyo and was about to charge had it not been for Kikyo holding him back. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes while Kouga growled lowly for offending Kagome, but otherwise no one made a move yet. They had to stick to the plan. Meanwhile, Kagome merely didn't bother with an answer. He wasn't worth the honor to hear her words. She merely stared at him with contempt, promising his death. **

**Naraku frowned lightly. It appeared he could not goad her into doing anything reckless to kill off easily. Sighing disappointedly, he signaled for the second wave of youkai to attack. Kagome let down the barrier, having no desire to kill all of their enemies and take away her family's chance at revenge. **

**Swiftly they dashed forward, killing any that were in the way to their intended target. Sango's Hiraikotsu flew forth with an angry vigor, splitting in half any youkai that was unlucky enough to cross its path. Kirara stood by her side, shredding those who would come near her mistress. Miroku's Khazana sucked all that were caught by its untamed winds when the Saimyosho weren't near and used his shakujo as a lethal tool towards any that dared come too close. Inuyasha swung his Tessaiga, brutally cutting any youkai close to him and threw kaze no kizu's towards the large group of mindless creatures. Kikyo threw sacred arrows to the youkai that were missed by him. Ayame used her cutting leaves to cleanly slice through any of the enemies while her wolves mercilessly mutilated those that didn't quickly perish. Kouga used his impressive speed to catch the youkai off guard and swiftly severed them with his claws, Goraishi, or used his strength to beat them to the ground. Sesshomaru elegantly utilized his acid whip or ruthlessly cut through them with Bakusaiga, a sword created by his own youki and brought with it the regeneration of his left arm. Kagome used her pink miko ki to create a bow and arrow and purified those that were in her way. Soon the last waves were sent forth. Despite that, the youkais' numbers were diminishing at a rapid pace.**

**With another wave, Naraku signaled for his detachments to attack. Sango fought her brother, pleading for him to stop and remember who she was while Miroku and Kirara covered her back. Sesshomaru, Kouga, and Inuyasha fought Magatsuhi while Kikyo attempted to shoot him through the heart and Ayame used her cutting leaves and claws to make any damage she could. Kagome was left with Kagura and Kanna. She knew the coward would hide behind his minions until they were exhausted before he attacked. Looking to the two sisters, she pitied them. Kagura only wished for her and her sister to be free. Which was why she knew it was time to execute the next step of the plan.**

**Reaching into the folds of her kimono, Kagome pulled out an ancient scroll. She's was pleased to have found this among her grandfather's possessions and forever thankful to Kaede in helping her understand the ritual. She quickly unrolled it and, using a small dagger, cut her wrist and let the blood fall onto it. Pushing her miko ki into the scroll, she recited the words of an ancient, unknown tongue that was necessary for the spell to be completed. Kagura looked at Kagome curiously, wondering when she would attack, while her sister merely watched with void eyes. **

**Suddenly, a light exploded from Kagome and wrapped around Kagura and Kanna. Both feeling a piercing pain in their chests, they thought they were finally given the gift of death, away from their dictating creator. Just as fast as the light and pain appeared, it vanished, leaving them on the ground, panting. Kagura looked to Kagome questionably, but before she could ask what she had done to them, she felt something beating on her chest. Looking down she saw nothing on her and glanced to her sister, watching as she also stared at her chest. She felt the odd beating again and her eyes grew wide with realization. She turned to the miko in shock, only one word falling from her lips.**

"**How?" she asked in amazement. **

"**I had found an old scroll for situations such as this. I know you do not wish to fight and instead be free with your sister to live in peace. The ritual was meant to give you a new heart using your own youki and my miko ki, giving my blood as an offering. Together along with the ancient words, you were both able to grow your own hearts. I have given you the chance to be free. If you stay to fight against us, my efforts were to waste and you will leave me no choice but to slaughter you." She explained calmly. Kagome looked down to her wrist, it had already healed. Looking back to them, she spoke one word. "Choose." She stated sternly.**

**Kagura looked towards her sister, then back to the miko. "We choose to fight." She said decisively. "Alongside you."**

**With a pleased nod, Kagome's sights turned to their now common opponent. **

**'**_**How dare this bitch attempt to get the upper hand and take them when they are of use to me!' **_**Naraku thought furiously**_**. **_

**Kagome reached behind her and grabbed the blue and silver, wrapped hilt of her sword, Satsugai, a gift from her onii-san that was forged specifically for her. Her sword, though slender in appearance, could easily cut through the thickest of youkai hides. Channelling her miko ki through it, the blade was engulfed in a pink shine. Simultaneously, the three females attacked, forcing the hanyou to hastily use his tentacles to defend himself. Kagome used her sword to try and carve a path through the appendages towards his body while Kagura and Kanna covered her. They were progressing; they had caught Naraku off guard and were about to end his worthless existence.**

**A pain filled scream stopped her short of her attack. **_**'That sounded like..' **_**So distracted was she that she didn't notice the tentacle aimed straight to her heart. Instead of the intended pain, all she felt was a liquid splatter onto her cheek. Blood. Gazing towards the source, her eyes widened in horror. '**_**Kanna...'**_** She had taken the strike in her place. Slowly the child-like girl turned to face her, her black eyes flashing with the first emotion she had ever seen in the void youkai; gratitude. **

**"Thank you.." Those were her last words before Naraku harshly threw her limp corpse away. Kagura roared in fury at her sister's death and attacked him with new drive. While Kagura had Naraku busy, Kagome ran to the source of the previous scream, placing her sword on its previous place on her back. **

**Her eyes filled with tears at the scene. Sango laid with Kohaku's lifeless body in her arms, pleading with him to return to her and live. She had a massive bite on her side where it seemed a youkai had taken advantage of her grieving state. Her leg seemed twisted and blood was running down, not only her mouth, but the various puncture wounds on her body. Miroku and Kirara stood protectively before them, with various lacerations of their own, attempting to keep them as safe as their injured bodies would allow. She ran towards them, quickly dropping to her knees and attempted to heal Sango. She couldn't do anything for Kohaku. It was too late. She had already seen his soul depart. **

"**Otouto****! Come back!" Sango pleaded. "You have to live! Onegai! I forgive you for everything but please don't leave me! You weren't even able to meet-!" A violent round of coughing caused her to stop, a dangerous amount of blood falling past her lips. Kagome continued to attempt to heal her wounds, but she had already lost too much blood and her heart beats were already slowing. Despite that, she refused to give up and continued to desperately push her blue healing energy into her. Sango looked forlornly towards her and softly pushed her hands away.**

"**Save your energy imouto. We both now I won't make it," she said calmly.**

"**Sango no! You can't die, onee-chan! Just let me heal you!" Kagome cried franticly. Sango carefully took her small hands within her own.**

"**Imouto, please bury me and my otouto together. I know only you can defeat that bastard Naraku, but please promise me something." She said tiredly. She was becoming exhausted by just using her voice and it was getting harder to breath.**

"**Sango! No! You're stronger than this! I know this won't kill you!" she exclaimed anxiously.**

"**Promise me you'll take care of him." She continued despite her protests. "I know you're a wonderful okaasan with Shippo. Help him grow into a strong man and teach him the way of youkai exterminating. If you can, watch over his descendants. Onegai, I know it's a lot to ask but I don't want to give Naraku the pleasure of knowing he wiped out my entire clan." She didn't want to let go until she heard Kagome promise her this. She always fulfilled every pledge she took.**

"…**.I will Sango. For as long as I live, I will. I promise..." She swore somberly. **

**With the last of her strength, Sango lifted her head to where Miroku stood near them. Feeling his wife's eyes on him, he looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening with a mixture of alarm and dread at the sight. Silently, she mouthed her last words to him. '**_**I love you, koibito.'**_** With that, her soul left to the afterlife.**

**Shaking with grief, Miroku dove straight into the last horde of youkai and Saimyosho. He refused to live in a world without Sango at his side and knew he could never take another woman when his love belonged to her. Surrounded by ****monsters, he calmly took off the glove that held his Khazana and sucked every being close to him, poisonous bugs and all. At least he got rid of an obstacle that held Naraku's destruction at bay before he died. When he saw no youkai left, he covered the void back up, already feeling the effects of poison running through his system. Slowly, he walked to the body of his deceased wife, where Kagome and Kirara were still mourning. Dropping to lie by his wife's side, he grabbed her cold hand and looked towards Kagome.**

"**Kagome-sama... Take care of him, imouto…" he requested weakly. He didn't have much time left. His lungs were already starting to give out.**

"**NO! Miroku-sama, not you too!" she cried. **

"**..Onegai..." he pleaded. His vision was already going black.**

"…**Hai…I promise…" she said feebly. With a content smile, Miroku let go and joined his beloved Sango in the afterlife.**

**Glancing to where Kirara lay, Kagome saw her looking sadly towards her dead mistress. She already had a broken paw and a puncture wound on her back. She turned towards the loyal, two tailed neko and brought forth her healing powers. She could at least save her life. When she was done, she patted the neko's head. **

"**Rest. You did well Kirara. It wasn't your fault. The Kamis had decided it was their time." She knew the neko was exhausted. If she pushed herself to keep fighting, she would surely die. Growling softly, the neko nodded her head in understanding and crawled closer to their three deceased friends. **

**Kagome smiled sadly and wiped away the tears on her face before carefully extracting the Shikon shard that rested within Kohaku and placing it safely inside her kimono. Turning back to the ongoing battle, she spotted Magatsuhi trying to defend himself against Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Kouga appeared to have been injured on his legs while Kikyo seemed to be running out of arrows. Her heart stopped when she saw Ayame's state. Running towards them, she quickly healed Kouga's legs. With a swift kiss on the cheek as thanks and a sad glance towards the she-wolf, he sped off to return to his fight. There was nothing he could do for her but get revenge. Kagome turned to Ayame's half-dead body, protected by her and Kouga's remaining wolves. She had bruises all over her pretty face, a twisted arm, and what looked to be a punctured lung. **

**Kagome hopelessly tried to heal her, but the damage was done. And all she could do was cry once again that she will lose another beloved friend. Ayame looked up through half-lidded eyes at the scent of salt and the feel of tear drops falling on her face.**

"**Kagome…" she said silently.**

"**Ayame! Don't die! Onegai! Miroku and Sango are already dead! I don't want to lose you too!" she whispered tearfully.**

"**Imouto… Take care of Kouga... He really does love you... Give him a chance. I know he'll make you happy," she said tenderly. **

"**But.. Ayame…" she cried brokenly.**

"**Shhh.." she hushed her softly, "if you cannot bring yourself to love him, then be there for him.. He'll just be glad to have you in his life…"**

"…**Hai… I will take care of him…" she promised. **

**Happy with her response, Ayame grabbed one of her hands tightly. "Thank you..." she whispered. And then she was gone. Kagome knew she was when her hand slackened and fell back to her side. Lifting her body, she ordered to wolves to follow her and took them back to Kirara. Placing her corpse, next to the rest of her deceased friends, she then started to heal the wolves and demanded they rest.**

**She then looked towards Naraku. She could see Kagura's fatigued body desperately trying to evade Naraku's attacks and she ran towards them, not wanting to see another comrade die before her eyes. Before she could reach them, she watched with horror as Naraku mercilessly stabbed her multiple times with his tentacles. **

**When she finally reached them, she put a barrier around her and Kagura. Naraku attempted to break it down, but it was too strong and only added to his frustration. He continued to attack the pink dome surrounding the miko and the traitorous bitch but was soon blasted with miko ki. He felt the purifying burn as it brushed against him, forcing him to retreat a few paces back. Kneeling beside Kagura, Kagome moved to heal her but her wrist was stopped by a weak grip.**

"**Don't bother, miko. I accepted this fate the moment I said we would fight by you." Smiling slightly, she pulled the miko into a loose hug, which made Kagome freeze in shock. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around the older wind witch's waist. Letting go, Kagura looked at the miko with the same gratitude she saw in Kanna's eyes."Thank you miko. Now I can be as free as the wind," she whispered serenely. With those final words, Kagura closed her eyes and felt her soul free itself into the breeze.**

**Kagome watched sadly as the life slipped from the female youkai's body. Sure she wasn't friends with the, at first, perceived enemy but it did not necessarily mean she wished death upon her. She was simply misunderstood, trapped into servitude by an evil hanyou. With those thoughts in mind, she gently lifted Kagura's body and walked to where her friends' corpses lay, her barrier following with her. She then went and placed Kanna next to her sister, so it wouldn't be destroyed in battle. She would give them all a proper burial when this was over.**

**Turning back to Naraku, she saw he was glaring at her and the direction of her remaining family. It appeared that Magatsuhi had been slain. One could easily see the blood running from her friends' injuries but she knew they would live. Dropping her barrier, she once again grabbed Satsugai and calmly walked to their enemy as her weapon once again brightened with life. Naraku threw up a barrier of his own, which was quickly destroyed by a Sacred Arrow from Kikyo. **

"**You cannot kill me! The only ones who will have their blood spilt will be from your cold, useless corpses!" declared Naraku maniacally. With an ominous grin, he once again attacked with his tentacles. Through his shredded baboon pelt, Kagome could see his tainted piece of the Shikon hanging from his neck as she dodged another tentacle. Jumping back until out of range, she opened her palm, face up, and called for the jewel.**

"**Come," she commanded quietly. **

**Feeling a tug on his neck, Naraku looked down and watched in shock as the jewel fragment suddenly shot towards the miko before he could grab it. He roared in fury and attempted to forcefully push past her friends to her, but to no avail.**

"**You fucking bitch! Give me back what should properly be mine!" he shouted angrily.**

**Kagome simply smiled menacingly and put the now purified Shikon piece within the hidden pockets of her kimono. She knew he would only focus on her when she commanded the jewel to return to her. With his full attention settled on Kagome, Kouga came behind him and sliced his legs cleanly off, making him scream out in pain. Jumping away, he watched a struggling Naraku attempt to flee with a satisfied grin. Inuyasha threw a powerful Kongosoha, Sesshomaru brandished Bakusaiga and created an explosive wave of lethal poison, Kikyo threw her last Sacred Arrow while Kagome swung Satsugai. **

"**Die!" was all she whispered to the despicable hanyou. Pushing a large amount of her miko ki into the sword, causing it to flash with bright pink flames, her attack, Jundo de Yaku, raced towards their nemesis. Together, the attacks created a devastating blow, causing Naraku to scream out in pure agony. The large waves of energy created a vortex of supernatural wind, forcing everyone to brace themselves as the surrounding trees to were bent back or simply pulled out of their roots. When the assault finally subsided, the rainbow of colors from their combined power dying down, there was nothing left but a pile of black ash within a large crater. Triumphant smirks resided on the survivors faces. They had finally done it.**

**Bringing out the two half the Shikon, Kagome returned her sword to the sheath on her back, and everyone watched with baited breaths as Kagome merged them whole. They didn't know if she would be ripped away from their time or she would simply vanish with the jewel. A bright light burst forth, making them all shield their eyes. Seconds passed and when it finally cleared, they saw the ancient miko warrior, Midoriko, floating before a bowing Kagome.**

"**Stand, child. There is no need to bow to one of equal power," she said amusedly. Kagome looked up, shocked at her words. She never would have thought herself as powerful as Midoriko. Seeing her expression, she continued what she was here to say. "It is true. I would expect nothing less from my reincarnation." Everyone was stunned at her words. Kagome was the reincarnation of **_**Midoriko**_**?**

"**What the hell are you talking about!? Kikyo is her incarnate! That's why they look so alike!" bellowed Inuyasha. "Why else would Kikyo want to take her soul back?!"**

**Kagome winced at his harsh words while Kouga and Sesshomaru looked ready to beat the idiotic hanyou. Kikyo wisely stayed quiet, her hand resting on Inuyasha's arm, but she too agreed with him. Midoriko merely looked down her nose at them. She knew everything that those two had put Kagome through and she will not continue to stand by and watch within the confines of the jewel.**

"**Cease your shrieking, boy. If you had not interrupted, I would have better explained this situation." She ****said ****authoritatively. When all was silent, she began to explain. "As I said Kagome, you are my reincarnation. You and I both share a very powerful soul, one meant to protect others and make a suitable guardian of the Shikon no Tama. When I was first trapped into the jewel, I sent a part of my soul out, thus you were born. Your destiny had been to complete this journey and rid the world of a terrible evil. You and Kikyo do share a similar appearance but only that. When Kikyo was resurrected by the witch, her clay body simply responded to our soul as the current guardian of the Shikon, just as she was one before death. When our soul was forcefully taken and placed into her body, it was too much for her to handle and why you were able to call it back. Beside that fact, it was never hers, she hasn't yet been reincarnated," Midoriko said patiently. Everyone was frozen in astonishment. "Now," Midoriko said seriously, "do you know what to wish for?"**

"**Keh, for me to become a full youkai, of course!" Inuyasha spoke up arrogantly. Yet Midoriko paid him no mind, her focus on Kagome as she nodded.**

"**Hai, there is no such thing as a selfless wish," she stated simply. Midoriko smiled. **

"**Well done child. I knew you would figure it out." Inuyasha in the mean time did not take the decision well.**

"**WHAT! Wench, we had an agreement that the wish would be for me!" he shouted angrily.**

"**I did no such thing, Inuyasha," Kagome said coldly," You decided that on your own accord. I will not put your selfish desires before the fate of the world." **

**Inuyasha growled and made a reach for the hilt of his sword, only to find himself kicked violently into a nearby tree by Kouga.**

"**You will not touch Kagome," He growled dangerously, standing protectively in front of her. Kikyo moved to help Inuyasha but was soon trapped inside a barrier by Midoriko.**

"**Enough of these childish tantrums. The wish was not for you to make but of the guardians," Midoriko said sternly. Turning back to Kagome she said, "As a result of the correct wish, I will gift you the rest of our soul which holds my lifetime of knowledge. The jewel will return to its original place within you, the energy remaining from the battle that once waged within will be all that will linger. Unfortunately this is the most I can do for you. I cannot bring your friends back for they are at peace in the afterlife." Nodding somewhat sadly, Kagome was happy her friends were resting peacefully, even though she would never see them again. ****"I am proud of you, Kagome." Midoriko smiled down at her. "You did well and the souls which once fought within the Shikon are finally at peace. Thank you." With a departing smile, a bright light encased Midoriko, turning her into a brilliant sphere that shot straight into Kagome's body. The sudden information brought into her from the rest of her soul caused her to become light headed and she swayed on her feet. Kouga quickly came and wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying her.**

"**Are you okay, Kagome?" he asked worriedly. Feeling her head clear a bit, she smiled in thanks at him.**

"**Hai, thank you, Kouga." Resting her head tiredly on his shoulder, she looked towards an angered Inuyasha and displeased Sesshomaru, knowing she will need to calm her brother figure down. He would probably in reality kill Inuyasha considering his hand was already inching towards Bakusaiga.**

**"You continue to astound me, foolish hanyou." Sesshomaru remarked with monotonous sarcasm.**

"**Sesshomaru-sama, could**** we please return to the village? Onegai, I do not want the children to continue to worry..." she pleaded. She was not only physically exhausted from the energy spent, but mentally as well. Watching your friends die before your eyes while you can do nothing but shed useless tears can really take a lot out a person. All she wanted to do was go to the village and rest with her children. **

**"..." Sesshomaru saw the flashes of the intense heartache she was suffering and reluctantly conceded. He had to commend the strength she held, for surely any other ningen would have already been well on their way into a mental breakdown. "Hn." He ignored Inuyasha in favor of looking towards the direction of the village.**

**Gazing to where Kirara still lay resting, Kagome wanted to go and bury all her friends. Before she could reply, they heard an enraged growl. Turning back to Inuyasha, they saw he was holding Tessaiga, but it had yet to transform. Both he and Kikyo were looking at the sword in a state of confusion.**

"**Oi! What the hell! Why isn't this thing changing!" he yelled, letting out another growl. Kagome smirked, stepping away from Kouga as she regained her bearings, and decided for once to enlighten him.**

"**It is because you attempted to attack me with it instead of using it to protect," she said simply.**

"**Keh, I don't need this stupid sword! I can kill all of you with just my claws," he proclaimed haughtily, flexing his claws. "Maybe the damn jewel can't turn me into a full youkai, but at least it can give me more power!" He slashed the air in their direction, releasing a ****Sankon Tetsusou towards them. Kagome simply brought up a barrier to surround them, safely shielding them from the attack. This only seemed to anger him even more as he continued to attack the blue dome. Kagome didn't want to harm him, but knew he wouldn't give up anytime soon. Giving a small sigh, she put a bit of her miko ki into it, making the dome turn a bright pink. When Inuyasha attacked the dome again****, he was blasted back** **and turned human.**

"...**" Inuyasha was left to stare up at the sky from his position on the ground. Slowly, he raised his clawless hands in front of his face, his eyes widening with mixed emotions. He didn't seem to notice as Kikyo helped him stand back on his feet as she glared hatefully at Kagome.**

"**Don't worry, the effects will wear off by–" before Kagome could finish, a pulse resonated throughout the clearing. Looking for the source, everyone looked shocked to see it came from Tessaiga. Kikyo suddenly pulled a surprised Inuyasha into a quick kiss, leaving Kagome to flinch at the sight as the inu hanyou appeared spellbound by the golem. When the dead priestess finally pulled back with a smug look, Inuyasha opened his eyes with a arrogant smirk and glanced down towards his sword as it continued to beat.**

"**Alright! Now I can destroy Kagome's stupid barrier, kill them, and take the jewel." He then pulled it out from its sheath, making the pulses intensify. Kouga and Sesshomaru both tensed slightly while as Kagome simply wasn't paying attention to any of them. She was focused entirely on the sword. **

_**'It's almost like its pulsating with...' **_**she placed her hand on her chest and her eyes widened in surprise. **_**'It is… but what does that mean…?'**_

"**Oi! You stupid sword! Transform already!" Inuyasha demanded. He grunted as he was suddenly repelled back by the sword's own barrier. "What the fuck!"**

**Everyone watched as Tessaiga merely floated, beating rhythmically, within its barrier before slowly approaching Kagome's own. When Kagome felt no ill-intent coming from the sword as the two barriers touched, she dropped her own to allow it to pass. Sesshomaru and Kouga tensed even further, but did not move, for they knew Kagome would have never permitted it near them if it wanted to slaughter them. The sword dropped its own barrier and slowly neared them, stopping in front of Kagome. After a few seconds of hesitation, she cautiously reached out and touched the hilt of Tessaiga. The pulsing strengthened, pounding with her nervously beating heart. Soon the throbbing slowed until it completely ceased, and she fully gabbed the hilt, watching in awe as it transformed. **_**'Mistress…'**_** she heard. Shocked, she looked at the ferocious sword in her hand.**

'_**Mistress…' **_** she heard the voice say again. It was in her head. **

'_**Who are you' **_**she asked warily.**

'_**Tessaiga… you are my mistress…'**_

'_**Why me?'**_** she asked astonished.**

'_**The hanyou… he does not defend.. he kills.. you…you protect, Mistress.. You were always my mistress…you freed me from the tomb…'**_

**She remembered that day. Near the beginning of their journey in Inu no Taisho's grave. She was the only one who could pull it out, even if it was by accident.**

"**What the fuck are you doing with my sword, wench!?" Inuyasha bellowed.**

"**Tessaiga… It said I'm its mistress," she said quietly.**

"**Really?" Kouga smirked, placing a hand on her head. "That's a big hit on the mutt's ego," He ruffled her hair playfully. "Congrats!"**

**She smiled before looking at her onii-san. It was his family's sword and she didn't want to use it if he didn't approve. Feeling her eyes on his person, Sesshomaru glanced away from the sword to her, seeing the silent question swimming in her sapphire eyes.**

"**Do with the sword as you wish," he told her simply. With his words, her smile turned to a full on grin before she looked excitedly at the sword.**

"**You fucking wench! Give me back my sword!" Inuyasha growled as best as his human throat could.**

"**No," Kagome said plainly. "It chose me therefore it is mine." Looking at his waist, she pointed Tessaiga at its sheath. "Come," she commanded the sheath. It rattled before shooting forward and enclosing around Tessaiga, returning it to its dormant state. She then set her new sword on the belt strap of her kimono.**

"**You little bitch!" Inuyasha yelled. His eyes darkened to black orbs when he looked behind him as Kikyo grasped his arm with a somewhat frustrated expression. "Keh, whatever wench. Keep the stupid sword. I have Kikyo by my side and now we can finally be together without you getting in between us. I love her. I never loved you. You were just a worthless shard detector. Come on Kikyo, take me with you to Hell so we can be together forever," he said, turning to her. Kikyo's face once became smug and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling them to the underworld.**

"**But.." Kagome said quietly. His words had hurt her deeply and the fact that she still cared for him didn't help. Sure, she wasn't completely in love with him as she used to but because of that, she still had some lingering feelings towards him. It takes time to fall out of an infatuation as profound as hers.**

"**Goodbye Kagome," mocked Kikyo. "Despite what Midoriko said you're still second best to me."**

"**But that's not..." Kagome tried again. But it was already too late. The Earth sucked them both into Hell. The clearing remained as if the two had never stood there. All was quiet until a bright white orb came out of the spot where Inuyasha and Kikyo once stood and flew straight into Kagome. She stumbled back, almost falling until she felt a pair of warm arms encircle her waist. Glancing up, her blue eyes clashed with deep azure.**

"**What the hell was that? Are you ok, Kagome? Are you hurt?" Kouga asked hurriedly.**

"**I'm fine, Kouga" she said assuredly. "That was just the small part of my soul Kikyo stole from me. I was trying to tell him that if he went to hell with her, the soul that was in her clay body would return to me since it's rightfully mine and he would end up there alone."**

"**Stupid mutt-face, he never listens and now look at where that got him," Kouga stated, shaking his head.**

"**Indeed," Sesshomaru agreed.**

**Kagome looked towards where Kirara, the wolves and her friends laid and her eyes watered with fresh tears. But she refused to let them slip until she was alone. "Come on, guys. We need to give them a proper burial and then tell the village." Smelling the salty scent of tears and hearing her words, they both nodded solemnly.**

**End Flashback**

The battle had taken a whole day to finish, starting at sunset and ending near the beginning of dawn. Six lives were lost and two were given freely. Their bodies were burned soon after, with the whole village in attendance. Ayame's had been the only exception. Being a wolf youkai, a close-knit pack oriented clan, her body was given to her pack for their own private funeral. When every funeral pyre had finally burned down and their ashes ready for burial, Kagome herself had secured their resting sites. Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku's ashes will be sent to the taijiya village where they had hoped to settle down if they survived. Kagura and Kanna were set to rest within the clearing where they were given their freedom from the dictating master. She had even posted a grave marker for Inuyasha, since there was no body to bury, where he had been sucked into hell. Every single one of them were honored as heroes who died in the struggle of war. Their names would become legendary and viewed as those who fought bravely to protect the weak. Or at least mostly everyone would.

Her right arm fell away from her legs to lay atop Tessaiga on the ground beside her. Slowly, her fingers wound around the hilt until the sword was held tightly in her grasp. Settled beside it was her sword, Satsugai; the rest of her friend's weapons were piled inside Kaede's hut. Raising her head back to rest against the Goshinboku, she finally allowed the tears to silently fall from her closed eyes. Her tear trails mixed with the rain drops falling down her face, making it appear as if she wasn't crying at all. No sobs were heard, only the thumps of the rain pelting her body and the surrounding forest.

'_Damn you, Inuyasha…' _ Kagome thought brokenly. _'I hope the pain of your burning soul was worth being with the one you thought was Kikyo.' _Despite what he did to her, she did not have the heart to tell the villagers of his betrayal and asked her friends not speak of it. He did, after all, fight valiantly against Naraku and helped stop his evil reign. The only ones who knew everything were her friends. She could not blame 'Kikyo,' for it wasn't truly her, the golem's existence being the result of black magic and hatred. So in respect for their efforts in the fight, she still created the grave marker for Inuyasha and prayed before Kikyo's original grave for her soul.

Opening her sapphire orbs, she stared up at the ashen sky, her tears continuing their rapid fall from her red, puffy eyes. _'Onee-chan… Onii-chan…'_ a heart wrenching sob escaped her at the thought of Sango and Miroku. _'You had a new reason to live for… you were supposed to live to care for him…!' _Remembering the promise she made to both, she knew she would fulfill it no matter what.

Eventually, her eyes once again slipped closed. _'Kohaku… I'm sure you would have loved to meet him…' _she thought sadly. _'I'll help him grow into a man you and his parents would have been proud of…'_ Her thoughts soon switched to the she-wolf. '_Ayame… I will always be in the life of the wolf you so dearly loved. He will always be able to count on me.'_

Finally, her mind turned to the deceased, unexpected allies. _'Kagura… Kanna… I wished I could have saved you earlier and prevent your deaths. But you fought fearlessly and for that I am proud.'_ She continued to remain leaning against the Goshinboku, relishing the peaceful aura it projected as it calmed her frazzled mind. An hour later, a familiar aura entered her circle of senses. She knew who that was.

Kouga was walking through the woods, towards the Goshinbok. He knew Kagome would be there and he, along with the rest of her friends, were starting to worry about her. They had given into her request to be alone so she could properly mourn, but that had been at sunset. She had stayed there the whole day, not returning to the village to even change from her torn fighting kimono. He kept walking until the soothing scent of dew and cherry blossoms hit his nose as he stepped into the clearing where Kagome sat against the enormous tree. Strolling to her, he silently offered his hand to help her stand. Kagome took it without question and didn't mind the fact that he still held it tightly even after she stood.

"Kagome…" he started quietly, "come back to the village. Shippo and the rest are worried about you. You haven't moved from this spot for hours and their starting to have trouble keeping Hiroki quiet."

'_Hiroki...' _his name snapped her out of her daze. Tightening her grip on his hand, she nodded seriously before letting go to pick up both her swords and strapping them to her belt. When she was done, Kouga then grabbed her hand again and began to lead her back to the village.

All the while her thoughts were on the small infant. Hiroki.. He was the six month old son of Sango and Miroku. A little over a year ago, they had proclaimed their love to each other and after much convincing from Miroku, Sango agreed to marry him. Soon after, they discovered she was pregnant, thanks to their youkai friends' sensitive noses. Now the poor child was left without both parents and she was determined to raise him right.

"OKAASAN!"

"KAGOME-NEE-CHAN!"

Before she knew what happened, she was on the ground, with two sniffling children and a purring neko on top of her. Looking around, she saw she was in front of Kaede's hut, everyone watching with a mixture of relief and amusement. Turning back to the children, she attempted to calm them from their anguished state.

"Shhhh… Calm down you two. I'm alright. There's no need to cry," she murmured, gently wiping the tears off their faces and petting Kirara.

"B-but, o-okasaan" Shippo stuttered, "we didn't know if you were okay! We thought you were hurt really bad when you didn't come back!" Rin nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Kagome-nee, we thought that you… left like Lady Sango and the rest did. We thought you were never going to come back to us!" she cried.

Kagome felt a pang of guilt hit her for making them worry about her. She got up and hugged them tightly. "It's okay. I came back. I just needed some time to myself to think about everything. Gomen, I should have returned sooner so you two wouldn't have had to worry." Hearing a baby's cry, she saw Kaede walk out of her hut with a bundle in her arms.

"Kagome, you have finally returned, child," she gave a small smile. Nodding, Kagome walked up to her and gently took the crying baby from her arms.

"Hiroki.." she called quietly to the child. The baby immediately stopped its crying upon hearing the familiar voice and opened his eyes. Bright violet orbs stared back at her, eyes just like his fathers. Dark brown hair peeked out from under the blanket protecting his head, his mother's hair. She smiled and silently offered him her index finger. Hiroki happily grabbed onto it with his little hands and began to enthusiastically bite on it, despite not having any teeth. He was teething, after all.

"Kaede, they told me that they want me to raise him..." Kagome told her quietly, not looking away from the baby's adorable face. He was going to grow up to be a handsome man. Hopefully he doesn't take after his father's perverted ways. She smiled slightly at the thought.

"Aye, child. I knew they would entrust you with him when I was told of their deaths," she said, smiling sadly. "There are also some things inside for you." Kagome looked at her questionably before walking into the hut. She noticed a pile of things in the far corner of the hut.

"Happy Birthday, Kagome!" Rin and Shippo said as one. That's right... she forgot it was her 18th birthday. "I know you're sad, okaasan, but everyone thought you might feel better if you got your gifts. We got them for you before everyone went to fight Naraku." Shippo said. He didn't want his okaasan to stay sad. Kirara meowed from his head, as if agreeing with him.

Kagome smiled at their attempts to make her happy. She carefully sat down, rocking a now sleeping Hiroki on her lap. Shippo and Rin ran back and forth between her and the pile of gifts. Sesshomaru gave her a beautiful, new silk kimono. It was floor length with a slit on the left side to show off her long legs. It was a light shade of blue with a darker shade of blue flower petals stitched from the waist down to the hem, giving the appearance that they were falling. There was a crescent moon on the right shoulder to show the wearer came from the House of the Moon. With it, came a silver obi that would accent her small waist. Overall she thought she would look good in it. If she knew Sesshomaru, he had it specifically made for her.

Kouga , Ginta, and Hakkaku gave her a pair of twin swords made out of youkai bones. The hilts were wrapped in white and black bandages with a small, black howling wolf carved onto each handle. The two swords could also be joined together as one. Kouga proudly announced to her that he had made them himself, leaving Ginta and Hakkaku to silently fume over their leader's betrayal, muttering about "ungrateful Alphas and their egos." Kagome merely smiled at their antics.

Rin and Shippo gave her a drawing with all their friends together that they drew out of the crayons she brought them before. Rin also made her a flower crown out of pretty blue and white flowers. Shippo, not wanting to be outdone, made her a bracelet. It was simple, with a small wooden fox on single strong thread to hold it together. Kaede gifted her with medical herbs and spell-bound returning arrows.

Sango had left her an exterminating uniform. It looked just liked hers but instead of pink armor, it was a shining blue. Miroku left her exorcism oufdas and a dagger. Ayame had made her a blanket out of pure white wolf pelt. Inuyasha, and obviously Kikyo, left her with nothing. But she didn't care right now. Just the thought of her fallen friends brought fresh tears to her eyes. But she would be strong. For her children.

"Happy birthday, okaasan. I know you're sad. We all are, but we know they wouldn't want to see any of us cry," Shippo whispered quietly while Rin nodded. Rin then dragged over her old sleeping bag for them to sleep in. It was already past midnight. She got up, with Hiroki soundly asleep in her arms and settled into sleep. Shippo curled up on her left with Kirara while Rin laid on her other side with Hiroki.

Seeing the cute sight, Kouga decided he should sleep as well and sat with his back against the wall, next to their heads. Resting his right arm on his propped leg, he quickly fell asleep. Ginta and Hakkaku fell asleep leaning against one another near their Alpha. Sesshomaru slipped out of the hut, having no desire to rest and instead chose to scour the area for any danger to his small pack. Kaede was already resting near the slowing fire in the middle of the hut. It had been a long day and they all need a break. Heaving a tired sigh, Kagome shifted into a comfortable position within the pile of children and neko, allowing herself to fall into a dreamless sleep.

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><p><strong>Not much changed from the first time i wrote it, but I am much happier with the redone version. Please review to tell me what you think !<strong>

***Chibi-Taisho**


	2. A Fallen Lord Gives Rise to Ookami Ind

**Disclaimer: ** I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Three Months Later<em>

Kagome sat on a hill near her hut, watching the first rays of sun greet the sky. After she had completely healed from battle, she had attempted to at least visit her family in the future, but the well had permanently closed after the wish had been made. When the villagers and her friends had found out, they provided her with supplies and helped her make her own hut to live in near the well. Although she was touched by their generosity, she soon slipped into a depression, and became closed off to the world.

But with the companionship of Rin, Shippo, Hiroki and Kirara, she managed to stay sane. They now live in her three-roomed hut outside of Edo. A kitchen, living room and one bedroom. She didn't want much and only needed one bedroom since the children and neko still slept with her. Sesshomaru had decided to leave Rin with her, when he needed to return to his duties as a lord, so she could have human interactions and continue her training. Apparently the child had some untapped miko ki in her. It was never a dull moment for Kagome, since she is constantly being visited by either her onii-san, Kouga, Kaede or even the village children.

In the meantime, Kouga had become relentless in his pursual until he finally persuaded her into allowing him to court her. He never hesitated to lavish her with gifts and affections and now, two months into their courtship, she couldn't be happier. She had fallen deeply in love with the roguishly handsome wolf. He never left her with any doubt that he cared for her as wholeheartedly as she does him. Seeing the sun was already up, and that the children would soon wake, she got up to walk back to the hut. Pushing the door mat aside, she found Kaede had already given the children stew and was feeding Hiroki some cow milk.

"Ohayo, Okaasan!" chirped Shippo between bites.

"Ohayo, Kagome-nee-chan!" Rin beamed. Kirara meowed her hello beside her.

"Ohayo, everyone. Shippo, don't talk when you're eating." She chided softly.

"Hai, okaasan," he replied happily and continued to eat.

"Kaede?" she called, looking at her questionably. She was usually to busy and only able to come by in the afternoons.

"Ye wolf prince requested of me to take the children off ye hands," she revealed amusedly, already knowing what the prince wanted. Kagome's expression turned into one of confusion, yet before she could question further, she felt warm arms wrap around her waist. Turning within their grip, she was met with the smirking face of Kouga.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kouga." She smiled up at him happily. "Why did you want Kaede to take care of the children?" If possible his smirk widened. He gave her a peck on the lips before lifting her up bridal style.

"It's a surprise," he told her conspiratorially. He then dashed out of the hut at high speed, leaving behind three snickering occupants and a happily gurgling baby.

"He'll be good for okaasan." Shippo gave a gentle smile. "When he asked me, I was happy but you should have seen when he had to ask Lord Sesshomaru, Kaede-baa-chan!" He laughed. Rin giggled alongside him, reliving the memory, and nodded while Kirara meowed in amusement.

"Rin remembers!" She clapped her hands together with a wide smile. "Rin was picking flowers with Shippo and Sesshomaru-sama. Kagome-nee was picking herbs in the village with Kaede-baba when Kouga-sama came to ask Sesshomaru-sama if he can mate her!" Her smile widened as she continued her storytelling about her father figure's reaction. "Sesshomaru-sama said he had to prove to him that he was worthy and they fought. Sesshomaru-sama almost beat him but Rin thinks Kouga-sama did good if he didn't die. When they were done, Sesshomaru-sama looked at him for a long time and nodded and then walked away!" she explained excitedly. Kaede laughed with the children as she bounced Hiroki on her knee.

Meanwhile, Kouga was speeding through the woods, the trees flashing by as a brown and green blur. Kagome always loved it when he ran at high speed, the feeling of flying and being free. With a grin, she wrapped her arms around his neck and shifted in his grip until she was settled comfortably on his back. Kouga looked back at her with a smirk, already knowing she loved his speed, and quickened his pace. In response, she tightened her hold and released a delighted laugh. It wasn't long before they finally arrived at his intended destination.

"Close your eyes," Kouga instructed as he gradually began slowing down.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she gazed at him curiously before allowing her eyes to slip shut. A thoughtful frown soon settled on her lips when she felt a wave of youki wash over her before it disappeared as fast as it came, as though they had passed through a barrier. Deciding to put her trust on Kouga, she kept her eyes closed. After a few more minutes of his smooth jogging, she felt him come to a complete stop. He then gently set her on her feet, her back pressed against his chest, his hands settled on her waist.

"You can open them now," he murmured, stepping away from her.

Kagome did so slowly, curious as to what he was planning. Her eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise, at the sight presented to her. They were on a cliff within Kouga's land, she could see the river below that led to the waterfall den in the near distance. The sun was still not quite high in the sky, giving a pretty illumination to the meadow of wild flowers she could see below. She could see various kinds of animals, running about and playing among the trees next to the clearing, bringing a more lively feel to the setting. She wondered absently why there was a stone wall surrounding a little ways off from base of the rounded mountain they were currently on.

"Kouga! This is beautiful!" she murmured in wonder. Turning to face him, she could only gasp in shock. Kouga was on his knee before her, with a simple yet magnificent ring out in offering to her. The silver band held a single embedded sapphire gem that perfectly matched her blue eyes.

"Kagome..." Kouga started, bringing her out of her daze. "You told me before that the males in the future would do this for their intended mate and decided to do it as well, knowing it would make you happy. I would do anything to make you happy, koishii, and I wanted to know…" he gulped nervously, but continued seriously, "I wanted to know if you would be my mate. I love you, Kagome."

Tears began to prick her eyes as she nodded furiously. With a watery laugh, She tackled Kouga to the ground, whispering a quick "I love you too," before kissing him deeply. When they finally separated for breath, Kouga slipped the ring onto the third finger of her left hand, smiling lovingly at his mate-to-be.

"Since you're going to be my Eastern Lady," Kouga remarked as he lifted them back on their feet. Grasping her hand, he began to lead her along a wide, beaten path that led up to the mountain top. "Then it only makes sense that I get you a castle," he told her with a smirk as he pulled her around a rocky bend to stop in front of two enormous boulders that acted as an entryway. The trail continued to lead through a large, well kept garden on a flatten portion of the grounds before it gently curved upward to the small amount of steps that lead to an extravagant wooden and tiled structure of a traditional yamashiro.

"..." Kagome was completely stunned as she looked around the beautiful palace grounds.

"Kagome...?" he called to her, snapping her out of her daze.

"Kouga... this is too much! I don't need-" He cut her off by gently grasping the back of her neck and pulling her into a swift kiss.

"I know you don't need it," he told her as he pulled back enough to gaze deeply into her eyes. "But this," his eyes flicked over to the grand building before returning to her. "is the Eastern Palace and I _am_ the the Eastern Prince." He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Well, technically I'm going to be the Eastern Lord now that I finally found a mate."

"What?" She blinked in astonishment.

"The Eastern Court thought it would be better if I mated before I became a Lord." He shrugged. "Since I didn't want a mate yet when they told me, I left to live out in the wilderness with some of my followers. I was never really interested in all their fancy customs."

"But Sesshomaru-sama is the Western Lord," Kagome's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. "And he doesn't have a mate."

"That's because Sesshomaru was forced to be a Lord when the West was in serious trouble." He informed her. Kagome nodded in understanding; that did make sense. She remembered the war stories told about the Northern Lord, and the previous Western Lord, their final encounter resulting in Ryukotsusei's sealing, the eventual death of the Inu no Tasho, and the near destruction of both houses.

"How come I've never seen this castle before?" She questioned, remembering the wave of youki from earlier. She had been through the Eastern Lands many times before and she found it hard to believe someone could not spot something so remarkable.

"It's under a spell," He smirked. "Unless you know where this place is, it's like it's not even here." He eyed the shiro thoughtfully. "The only ones who really live here are the pups, their mothers, and the servants." He suddenly pulled her snugly into his arms. "Do you like it?"

She nodded with a wide smile, before a thought suddenly came to her. "What about the rest of our pack?"

"They'll return to their mates in the castle." He told her, smiling at the term _'our.'_

Unable to resist, Kouga leaned down to once again brush his lips against hers. He felt her smile as she rose up, her arms wrapping around his neck, to press them together more firmly while her lips parted teasingly. Taking her invitation, his tongue came out to run gently along her petal soft lips before eagerly dipping into her mouth. He gave a small groan at her sweet taste, one hand coming up to entangle into her hair, his other arm tightening around her waist as he traced every familiar nook and crevice of her mouth. He released a pleased growl when she arched into him, her body seeking more contact with his. He was having a hard time controlling himself, his instincts _demanding_ he finally claim her as his.

Lifting Kagome to lay in his arms once more, Kouga reluctantly pulled away from her lips, smirking at the slight glaze in her sapphire eyes. "How about I show you our room?" He asked, nuzzling her neck. Her only response was a hesitant nod, her arms encircling his chest and resting her head against his heart. She knew what was to come and, despite her sudden nervousness because of her inexperience, she _wanted_ to be with Kouga. Pressing at tender kiss to her forehead, Kouga used his incredible speed to dash through the shiro entrance, through the maze of hallways, up to their room.

A few hours later, a deep, resounding howl echoed through the Eastern Lands, announcing to all that the Eastern Lord had finally attained his Eastern Lady.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Two Weeks Later<em>

Kagome awoke from her deep sleep to the sensation of a full bladder in the middle of the night. Opening her eyes, she attempted to get up, only to feel the all too familiar feeling of arms tightening around her waist. Looking behind her, she saw her still sleeping mate, Kouga, his raven hair unbound and wearing nothing but his bottom flap. She herself was wearing a short, blue sleeping yukata he had gifted her. Carefully, she disentangled herself and quietly walked to their personal bathroom in their home.

After Kagome had accepted to become Kouga's mate, she moved in with him as alpha female of the Eastern lands. Of course with her came Rin, Shippo, Hiroki and Kirara. They now slept together in the room next to theirs. Sesshomaru didn't mind if Rin came with her, as long as she is not harmed, and Kaede stayed in the Village of Edo. She felt bad for leaving her alone, but the older miko understood and encouraged her to go make a life with her mate. Most of the pack had readily accepted her with open arms. The few ones who didn't were only envious female wolf youkais who had wanted to mate with Kouga for his title. They, at first, rebelled against her, but as the new alpha female, she quickly forced them into submission.

Following the day she and Kouga had mated, she had learned she had become a black wolf youkai. When he had marked her, pushing his youki into her system to label her as his in both body and soul, her body had willing accepted his energy just as freely as Kouga had accepted hers, despite the polar opposites of both their natures. Many in her pack had worried the two sides would be at war with one another when his youki would enter her body. Instead, the two energies easily mingled harmlessly inside her being, her miko ki submitting to his youki and in turn, gifting her with a new elongated life as an ookami. Their union had also bestowed Kouga with immunization of any purification.

Although the reconstructive process of her body was a bit painful, Kagome had been more than happy with the end results. She enjoyed shifting into her wolf form to run with Kouga on their lands, her blue tinted raven coat swaying with the wind as her obsidian furred mate chased after her. Kouga always relished the activity as well, tackling her playfully to the ground and nuzzling into the white, slightly blue hued, full moon imprinted onto her neck, his mating mark as his Eastern Lady. Since she was still training her new body, she was surprised to learn that she could often times _feel_ her mate through their mark. She also learned she could alter her wolf form to be as small as an average wolf to as big as Sesshomaru's true form.

Walking quietly back to the raised futon, she was intent on going back to sleep with her warm mate. Lifting up the fur blankets, she released a small gasp of surprise when tanned arms suddenly shot up to pull her to lie flush against a toned chest. Pulling back from his grasp enough to gaze up at her 'sleeping' mate, she gave a small huff when she noticed the corner of his lip twitched as he fought the urge to smirk. Too tired to care, she rested her head underneath his chin, her raven tail coming up to curl around the arm wrapped at her waist as she burrowed herself into his inviting warmth. She sighed contently when his grip tightened in response, his own tail appearing to envelop hers. She hoped life would always stay this wonderful.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Five Months Later<em>

Kagome ran as fast as she could towards the room that held Kirara and her children. The East was currently under attack by an army of panther youkai. All day, she had been feeling this sense of anxiety and coming dread for her pack, a sentiment her mate had shared as well. Kouga had left to patrol the grounds with a few followers, assuring her that he would remain safe. Not long after she had settled into a bath to force herself to relax, a loud roar had rumbled through the air before a crash shook the very ground. She had quickly gotten out and dressed in time for one of the servants to run in to frantically inform her that they were under attack.

Darting into her children's room, she found them huddled in the farthest corner behind a transformed Kirara. Gently grabbing a crying Hiroki, she rocked him, trying to calm him down and looked to Rin and Shippo.

"Get on Kirara, you two. We have to hurry and gather the rest of the children," she ordered hurriedly. They nodded and hopped onto the giant neko. She then began leading them to a magically concealed entrance to a hidden system of underground caves built within the mountain where most of the women and children were currently hiding. On the way she looked through each room and collected any pups and their mothers she found. When they were finally safely hidden underground, she commenced on the tiring task of calming down her panicking pack mates. Although she was worried for her mate's safety, she knew she had to soothe her pack's unease before she went to him.

A sudden sharp pain on her neck caused Kagome to clutch her mating mark with a wince.

Kouga was in trouble.

Not sparing another moment, she ordered the closest woman to watch over her kids and ran out in search of her mate.

Once outside, she saw dead bodies scattered randomly, most of which were panthers. Frantically inhaling the air, she followed Kouga's scent, absently dodging any attacking panthers. She soon found him on the ground, bleeding from a bubbling hole through his chest. Numerous lacerations covered the length of his body, coating the air heavily with his blood. Surrounding his fallen form were numerous piles of lifeless panther youkai. It seemed they had planned to separate Kouga from the rest of the pack before outnumbering and targeting him. Unfortunately, they had underestimated his skills as he had slain most of their enemy's numbers before a poison-coated sword pieced him straight through the chest.

"KOUGA!"

Quickly, she ran to him, dropping to her knees beside him and desperately tried to heal his wounds, but the poison had already started to eat away at his heart. Feeling his mate's anguish, Kouga opened his eyes and grabbed her small hands in his larger ones.

"Kagome, don't cry." he told her softly. Yet that didn't stop her from crying on top of him. They both knew what would come of him. Gently, he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her softly on her lips. "Take care of yourself and our pack," he said quietly. "I can't believe I survived Naraku but was brought down by this" he chuckled laboriously. "Kagome… live a long life... watch the children grow… find someone who can love you as much as I do… "

"Don't say that!" She whispered. "We're mates, remember?" She gave a watery smile. "Soul-bound. Wherever one goes, so does the other, even with death."

"No... You won't be following me." His lips curved into a soft smile at her confused expression. "I, Lord Kouga of the Eastern Lands, relinquish my hold on This One's mate, Kagome Higurashi." He said aloud, causing her eyes to widen, her body stilling in complete and utter shock. Using her reaction to his advantage, Kouga gently grasped her wrist and sank his teeth into her soft skin, pushing all his youki that had been fruitlessly battling the poison in his body into her system. His power swiftly circulated her body before locking her muscles in place, ensuring she would be unable to stop him. Slowly extracting his fangs, he tenderly licked the bite clean, already feeling his mate's connection to him disappearing. "With this, I yield my strength to ensure her wellbeing. May death's grasp only pull This One into the afterlife."

"NO! Kouga! You can't leave!" she cried fiercely, being unable to do anything else.

"Gomen… I don't want to…but I have no choice… Onegai… live. I don't want you to do something stupid and get yourself killed. That would be a waste of everything I did for you…" he said softly.

"… I won't get myself killed... I promise. But I don't think I'll ever be able to live without you…" she sniffled brokenly. She was losing one of the most important people and love of her life.

"I know you will, koishii." With one last kiss to her lips, his eyes slipped closed, his body falling limp in her grasp as the life slipped from his body.

'_No…'_ "KOUGA!" She yelled painfully, now able to move and clutching him desperately to herself.

Hearing a maniacal laughter behind her, she turned her head enough to see a panther youkai covered in splatters of blood. Kouga's blood. In one hand, he held a bloody poison-coated sword.

"Well lookey here, the fallen Lord has a mate. I sure did enjoy killing that pitiful wolf until he-"

A pain filled scream forced it way through his lips. Looking down at himself, he saw his arm had been cut cleanly off, the poisoned sword still held tightly in its hand. Turning back to the woman, he noticed she now held a bloody sword her mate had carried but never used. He didn't even see her move! She was a worthless woman for Kami's sake! Looking at her eyes, he saw they were the coldest sapphires he had ever seen. The whites around her blue eyes were slowly turning red, adding to the terrifying threat of agony it held. Taking a wary step back, he began to regret leading his clan to ambush the wolves.

"You killed him," her cold voice stated bitterly. Not saying anything more, she swiftly cut off his remaining arm, his two legs and then tail.

"Please, just kill me!" he begged. The pain was unbearable.

"No." she stated unemotionally. She then brought out her miko ki, and closed up the wounds where his appendages once were. However she used more ki than necessary, making the process incredibly painful without actually purifying him. When she was done, she looked around and saw the panthers were all slain and some of the wolves were watching. They all held gloomy, understanding expressions, knowing her instinct was demanding revenge. Yet were taken aback that this stoic, merciless female was the same caring, compassionate girl they knew her as.

"Ginta, Hakkaku." She called authoritatively. The two wolves appeared, stepping before her.

"Hakkaku, organize them to clean out the blood and burn the bodies of the panthers. Ginta, get Kouga's body ready for his burial," she commanded. They nodded before doing as she ordered. She was still their alpha female and now only Eastern leader. Grabbing the sheath of Kouga's unused sword, Kagome handed it to one of her pack mates to place in her room. Glancing at the now terrified panther, she said nothing as she charged Kouga's sword with her miko ki before throwing it with deadly accuracy into his chest, his body slowly purifying from the inside out.

"I'll return in a while. Do not disturb me unless absolutely necessary." She spoke aloud, before departing into the surrounding forest.

Sprinting through the dark forest, Kagome soon found herself at a deep, clear lake. Bathing had always helped her distorted mind. Taking off her clothes, she slowly walked into the body of water until she was completely submerged. As her mind struggled to comprehend the situation she was forced into again, her hands mechanically began the process of scrubbing off the grime and blood from her body. When she was done, she simply let herself float under the water. Being youkai, she didn't need to breathe yet. She simply wanted to think.

Remembering her mate's defeated form, she felt something break within her. She had failed Ayame and couldn't protect Kouga as she promised. She had failed Kouga and couldn't prevent his death. She had failed and now because of her promise to live for Kouga and his sacrifices, she could not end her disheartened struggle of life. Resurfacing, she couldn't tell if the liquid running down her cheeks was water or tears.

Wanting to at least temporarily escape from her own thoughts, she allowed herself to transform into her true form. Her enormous size greatly surpassed the height of the surrounding trees and the earth shook with every step she took. Her form trembled with grief at the loss of her dear mate, and she threw her head back and let out a drawn out heart wrenching howl full of regret and misery, letting all know what she had just suffered.

The distressing tune went on for miles and effortlessly reached the ears of Lord Sesshomaru, making him stop on his patrol of his lands and look in her direction. Hearing the message within the depressing cry, his eyes narrowed and he speedily took off towards her.

When the tribe heard the howl, they're disheartened aura's doubled. They cared for their deceased leader greatly, but they knew none took it harder than Kagome. Losing a mate is one of the most unbearable pain a youkai can go through. And after losing so many family members from the Final Battle, losing a mate so soon can drive anyone to an extremely sensitive state. They only hoped she would not consider doing something drastic. Shippo, Rin, and Hiroki began to cry upon hearing the howl and tried desperately to get to her, but were held back by Ginta and Hakkaku. Kirara whined softly but remained seated near them, knowing there was nothing she could do for her mistress.

"LET ME GO! OKAASAN NEEDS ME!" cried Shippo, trying to frantically get out of Ginta's hold.

"KAGOME-NEE-CHAN!" yelled Rin as she struggled to get away from Hakkaku. Hiroki simply continued to cry in the hold of a female wolf member.

"We can't let you go," Hakkaku whispered. Ginta nodded in agreement.

"Kagome needs to let out the pain, alone. There's nothing we can do for her and we don't want you to be accidently hurt," said Ginta. Reluctantly, the children slowly ceased their struggles, allowing the wolves to take them to their room, where they were fed and soon sent to rest. They slept in Kagome's room, waiting impatiently for her return.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Five Hundred Years Later<em>

Kagome gazed unseeingly out the window of the private jet. Leaning back, she shifted to a more comfortable position on the soft seat, glad her glamour was gone as her tail swished lazily at her side. Hearing a snore, she looked across the seating aisle and saw Shippo draped haphazardly across the jet's couch. A small smile came onto her otherwise blank face. He had grown into a handsome young fox. With his long fiery orange hair reaching down to his lower back, bright green eyes lit with constant mischief, a charming smile, and a sinfully deep voice, he was every girl's wet dream. _'Too bad he's mated...'_ she thought with amusement. Turning her head back to the window, she began to reminisce the events of the last five hundred years. Her hand unconsciously came up to play with the the silver, sapphire embedded ring hanging from a silver chain on her neck. The little piece of jewelry was always in her possession in one form or another.

After the sudden death of her mate, Kouga, and the mental breakdown which lead to her transforming to her true form, she had returned to the tribe in the arms of her onii-san, Sesshomaru. He had calmed her down and was the only youkai who would have been able to subdue her if she were to have gone on a rampage. Soon after the funeral was held, it was decided Kouga would be buried where he was slain within his lands.

From that day forth, she had been proclaimed Alpha of the pack and Eastern Lands. She had led them to the best of her ability, and with a little help from Ginta, Hakkaku, Sesshomaru and Shippo, she believes she had done well and her mate would have been proud. Now she owns one of the world's leading companies, Ookami Industries. Using her modern knowledge and the millennium of information Midoriko had contained from her part of her soul, it had been simple to create the most powerful and influential business, which deals from a wide range of fields, from entertainment to marketing from various venues, up to electronics and advance weaponry. The only company who could possibly rival in success would be Taisho Corp. owned by her onii-san, Sesshomaru.

Blending in to society while owning and expanding a business had been the annoying part. Having to pretend to live as a normal human, die a human death at an old age and then start the process again with a different glamour and name was exasperating. So when the time came when her past self was almost born, she decided to go into hiding from the public view. For the last twenty years, her face had been hidden and all the public knew was her previous human's life name and that the current owner goes by the alias 'Kayo Hamada.' She had then made Shippo the public face of her company, who often dealt with the frenzy of appearances and reporters. She wanted her identity to remain concealed until her past self's last trip down the well and her appearance to her family. She didn't want to ruin the world's time line and cause a catastrophe.

Though now she has accomplished one of the globe's wealthiest successes, she still felt bare at times. Having only a few to share a life with and losing those dear can have an enormous impact on one's spirit. And after they had lost Hiroki, she felt even more alone. But he had lived a long, fulfilling life.

Her adopted son, Hiroki had helped in all he could involving the tribe. One day when he made a trip to a nearby village to get medical supplies for an injured pack mate, he had met and fallen in love with a village girl. After he became of age, he had moved in with her and raised a family. Kagome often heard him telling his wife and children the marvelous adventures her and Sesshomaru had took in saving the world from evil and telling the legendary tale of the inu-tachi's conquests. Being a grandmother had been a rewarding experience, though she would agree that she could have lived without the young ones tugging on her tail like it was a new toy.

Over time, her Hiroki had passed at an old age and soon after, his wife. They were only human and she had known they would not be able to escape the grasp of time for long. After his death, Kagome took comfort amongst her pack and watched over his descendants. She was at first involved in their lives, but as the years of human innovation grew and the youkai population decreased, it was decided to simply watch from afar in secret. The only reminder she had that she and her pack were not completely forgotten were the stories which were often told to the young ones at bedtime.

Now in the present century, the shocking discovery was made that Kagome is a descendent of Rin. Remembering the stories told to her by her mom and grandfather about the Shikon and the resemblance between her and Rin, she couldn't believe she hadn't make the connection before. As for Sango and Miroku's descendants, there were more than she is often able to keep track of, a fact a perverted houshi would have had a kick out of. But there were two that had caught her attention, Haruhi and Ryoji Fujioka. Haruhi had recently finished up her last year in junior high while as Ryoji, or as she found out, Ranka, was working in an okama bar.

Kagome was suddenly broken out of her thoughts by the shout of the bat youkai pilot. Though there are not as many youkai left in the world, several of them either work for her or her onii-san so they can at least have some liberty of their human illusions and be among fellow youkai.

"We will be landing in five minutes, Kagome-sama," he informed.

Kagome nodded before turning to her sleeping son. The only reason she came on this trip to Russia was to personally visit an old friend and ensure their centuries-old alliance remained intact between their families. Using her tail, she gripped Shippo's leg and tugged sharply, making him fall off the couch. He was a heavy sleeper like she sometimes is, and would only wake up by force. She released a small laugh as she heard him grumbling. She could only feel even slightly like her old self around her family. To outsiders, she is just as stoic and cold as Sesshomaru. Five hundred plus years of experience in not only youkai battles but human wars tend to affect your view on the world and change your overall personality.

"OKAASAN! Why do you have to be so rough! Can't you just gently shake me and say 'wake up my adorable sleeping kit,' like when I was little!" he wailed dramatically, crying giant tears. A small smile grew onto her lips as she watched his antics.

"Because 'my adorable kit,' you stopped waking up when I did that after you grew up and became a handsome man," she said amusedly. "Besides," she continued, "I'm sure my method is better than how your mate, Souten, wakes you." Shippo paled slightly while Kagome merely chuckled. Souten often told her the many ways she would wake her mate using lightning bolts.

After one hundred years of being alone, Kagome was glad her son mated the thunder youkai. She always knew they had a crush on one another. Even Hakkaku had mated with the bat hanyou, Shiori and miraculously, Ginta had mated Rin. Sesshomaru had not been at all pleased by that development, but in time, he had relented for her happiness and had been content to know their mating resulted in her body reconstructing into an ookami, and therefore gifting her with an elongated life. Kagome and Sesshomaru, so far, are the only ones to remain unmated, neither having a desire to be tied to another, and in Kagome's case, again.

Remembering why she woke him up, she informed him. "We are going to be landing in a moment. We need to hurry and go to the shrine. You remember what today was, correct?" she asked. Shippo nodded, knowing today is her past self's final trip down the well. He sat up straight just as the jet began its descent onto a private landing section of Tokyo International Airport.

Glancing at her watch, she saw it was close to ten o'clock at night. _'I'm sure my family would still be awake…'_ Stepping out of the jet's door, she was followed by Shippo towards their awaiting car to take them straight to the shrine. But before she made it across the lot, her phone rang. Pulling out her cellphone, she blinked at the name on the screen. It was Sesshomaru.

"Hello, Onii-sama," she placed the devise against her ear and greeted pleasantly.

"You must come to the hospital at once. I was informed you had just landed and should be able to arrive in only minutes," he told her curtly. He didn't want to inform her of the events that took place earlier, but as her Alpha, he must. Kagome froze mid-step, making Shippo gaze at her in worry.

"What do you mean? What happened?" she questioned as calmly as she could. She did not want to become frantic in what could be a dire situation. She heard Sesshomaru sigh and some cracking noises, which sounded suspiciously like he was tightening his hand around his cell phone. That can't be good.

"Your family… They were in an accident…" he confessed. There was a moment of silence, before he heard a crashing noise and then the sound of the dial tone and he knew she had more than likely destroyed her phone. Shutting his almost broken phone, he realized absently he also had to get a new one. Throwing it uncaringly against a wall, he saw it shatter to pieces before he left in a hurry to drive to the hospital. The moment he had seen what had happened to Kagome's family on the news, he called and informed her. Now he must go to support her through another loss.

Shippo looked on in shock as his mother threw her phone forcefully against another nearby car. The force made the SUV skid back before tipping to its side and leaving a large indent against it. Without a word, Kagome grabbed onto her son's hand and pulled him into their still awaiting car and demanded the petrified elemental youkai to drive quickly to Tokyo Hospital.

"Okaasan…? What did he say?" Shippo whispered warily. He wasn't afraid she would hurt him, but he knew from experience to tread carefully on anything that made his okaasan this upset. The last time she had destroyed property in a fit of rage had been when one of Hiroki's descendants had disappeared without a trace and she had demolished miles of countryside in her search. That didn't put his mind at ease. When he saw his okaasan wasn't going to respond and the white of her eyes were slowly turning red, he reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. Whatever happened, he will be right by his okaasan's side.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>At Tokyo Hospital<em>

Kagome sat motionless in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the hospital's waiting room, thinking of what the doctor had just informed her of what happened to her family. Shippo had left to notify his mate on why he hadn't gone home and what they found out. Her family had apparently been out driving from somewhere earlier and was suddenly hit by a drunk semi-truck driver. If it wasn't for the fact that the driver had been pierced through the heart by a window shard and killed instantly, she would have hunted him down for his careless stupidity. Now her mother and grandfather were dead, killed on impact. The only survivor was her brother, but she was told even he had a slim chance of survival. The doctors were currently trying desperately to repair the damage for him to survive and performing an emergency surgery.

Fifteen minutes later, her son returns with a human-disguised Sesshomaru. Kagome looked at her onii-san's face through dull blue eyes and realized that the fact that she could even see the worry that momentarily flashed in his, at the moment, hazel eyes was a true testament that he was indeed concerned for her. He may not have known her family, but the fact that she cared greatly for them was enough. The three of them sat together, waiting impatiently for the results of her brother's surgery. She already lost so much and wished she wouldn't have to lose him. After three and a half hours, a doctor finally came out. Kagome quickly got up and walked to stand in front of him.

"How did it go?" she asked quietly. She was preparing herself for the worst but hoped beyond hope that he would survive. He was all she had left from her first family. The doctor sighed tiredly and looked at her with unsure eyes.

"We managed to stop the bleeding and realign the broken bones that almost punctured his arteries. But we won't know for sure if he'll be stable. If he lives through the night, it will be a miracle," he informed her regretfully. Kagome kept her face blank, not wanting anyone to see how much she was suffering inside. She could feel Shippo and Sesshomaru watching her carefully.

"Can I see him?" she finally asked. The doctor nodded.

"Hai, but only one person at a time and only for a few minutes." Kagome simply nodded and followed the doctor to Souta's room.

What she saw when she stepped into the small room almost made her composed façade break. Souta was wrapped from chest to toe in bandages, leaving only his head to be seen. There were various scattered patches of bloody bandages and his face held several cuts and bruises. Slowly she walked to his side and pulled a chair with her to sit next to him. When she heard the door close, she knew the doctor had left and she was alone.

'_Otouto…_' Kagome thought despairingly. She reached for his slightly cold hand and began to run her fingers through his hair. _'I can't lose you too, otouto…' _

Stopping her motions, she stood from her chair beside him. "I will not lose you, otouto," she whispered determinately.

Placing her hands above his chest, she brought forth her blue healing energy. She may not be a certified doctor, though she could if she wanted to, she could accomplish something medical science could not achieve. Using her miko ki, she began the task of healing the most threatening injuries such as the broken bones and internal trauma to his organs. She left the minor wounds to heal themselves. She didn't want the doctors to become suspicious.

After ten minutes of hurried treatment, she felt she had done all she could for her brother. Sighing, she sat on the chair again, and watched if he would react. She almost fell asleep when the door suddenly opened and the doctor told her she had to leave to allow Souta to rest. Nodding reluctantly, she got up and walked back to the waiting room where Shippo and Sesshomaru were anxiously waiting for her return.

"I think he's going to be ok… I healed as much as I could after the doctor left us alone. I'm kind of tired now since I used so much energy so fast," she told them, smiling slightly. Her son and onii-san sighed breaths of relief.

"It would be best if we return home. We have no more use being here," Sesshomaru suggested, his composure back in place. Shippo threw his arm around his okasaan's shoulder in assurance and gave her a soft smile.

"Yeah, okasaan. You need your rest. We'll come back first thing tomorrow morning to check on him," he promised. Kagome nodded before letting them lead her to their car.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>At Eastern Estate<em>

Kagome entered through the front door of her spacious mansion, and walked through the maze of hallways to her room. In her arms she held her lovable obese cat. They had made a quick stop at the shrine to pick up Buyo since she didn't want him to stay there alone.

Sesshomaru had decided he would spend the night so he could accompany them tomorrow to visit Souta again. He already had his own room in her home, as she and Shippo do in his, so she didn't mind the companionship he would provide. When she arrived at her room, she put Buyo on the floor and spotted Kirara coming towards them. She watched as the neko youkai and house cat sniffed at one another before Buyo playfully scratched at the neko's tails, making Kirara tackle him in response. Gving a small smile, she strolled straight to her private bathroom. She needed a bath to calm her chaotic nerves and quiet her mind.

Discarding her clothes, she filled the enormous tub to the brim with hot water and lowered herself into the scorching water. She sighed contently as she felt the jet powered water push against the knots in her body, relaxing them away, and was glad she spent a great deal of money to have a Jacuzzi built in. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the day's events.

_'__Well, yesterday's events…_' she thought absently as she opened her eyes and looked at the clock that hung from her bathroom wall. It was close to three in the morning. Feeling that she stayed in the water long enough, she got out, drained the tub and put on a pair of shorts and t-shirt. Most youkai only slept a few times a month, but she needed her sleep today after everything she had to deal with.

Walking back into her room, she stopped as she saw Buyo scratching on one of the colorfully wrapped boxes on her bed while Kirara simply watched from atop a different box . Curious, she walked to her bed and picked one up to find out why they were here. When she read the card attached, she almost dropped the box in shock. It was her five hundred and eighteenth birthday. _'There's no need to celebrate my birthday…_' she thought solemnly, '_it seems as if they will only become a reminder of death…'_

Feeling completely disheartened, she gathered the gifts and placed them under her bed. Once done, she crawled into the soft cushion and laid down on her side. Just when she felt she couldn't hold her composure anymore, a knock came from her door. Not bothering to move from her position of staring emptily at the wall, she bid the person permission with a soft 'enter.' She listened as the door was opened before gently being shut behind them. Soft footsteps were heard as they approached before she felt the bed dip slightly under a new weight behind her, a feminine hand settling on her head before smoothing down her hair, slender claws running tenderly through her damp tresses. Blue eyes slipped closed as she fought down the tears that threatened to fall at the motherly gesture.

"Only Souta survived, Rin."

The gentle ministrations stopped momentarily before resuming once more. "You shouldn't blame yourself though, nee-chan." Rin advised quietly.

A small smile found its way onto Kagome's lips at the familiar endearment. Their relationship was so unique, being the only priestesses in history to willingly mate a youkai and, in turn, discover a new development that only happens to spiritualists as a result of their unorthodox unions. Despite essentially being one of Rin's many children and Kagome helping in raising the younger girl, they viewed one another as sisters.

"I know, Rin. It was out of my control." Kagome turned to face her, blank blue eyes connecting with somber chocolate orbs. "I was helpless." Her vision was once again blurred with the familiar liquid at her statement.

Tears filled Rin's own eyes at her words as she laid down and pulled her into a comforting embrace. Resting her chin atop her raven head, Rin growled reassuringly as she continued to smooth down Kagome's hair, listening to the quiet sobs that escaped her pack mate's lips. She knew Kagome hated feeling any sense of helplessness when it came to family. To see her usually composed Alpha female in such a state was heartbreaking and she was saddened to know Kagome's mother and grandfather, individuals who she herself shared distantly similar blood with because one of her pups had fallen for a human female, are now dead. In spite of not having the chance to know them personally without disrupting the universal timeline, they had still been pack and pack is considered everything.

Rin offered no words of comfort, her instincts pushing her actions to speak for her. It was usually a mate who first consoled a distraught female, and she knew that fact did not ease Kagome's grieving mind.

Buyo meowed at his owner and curled up against Kagome's back, wanting to offer some form of comfort. Kirara purred, also wanting to console her mistress and curled up next to Buyo. By the time Kagome felt she had some semblance of control of her frayed emotions, she was exhausted. '_I refuse to lose any more of my family,'_ she thought determinately as she began slipping into a dreamless sleep beside Rin. It wasn't unusual for pack mates to rest together._ 'I will protect them all at all costs…'_

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Two Days Later<em>

Kagome hung up the phone with the funeral director. The arrangements were done. The funeral will be held in two weeks. Sighing, she leaned back against the base of the tree. She was currently sitting in one of the Goshinboku's branches. Though the tree holds many heartbreaking stories, it still radiated a calming presence and she relished in its refreshing peace. She knew after the decisions she made earlier, this will be her only moment of tranquility. She only hoped they were the right choices.

"Kagome-sama, they're ready for you now."

Following where she heard the voice, she saw it was Hakkaku. _'I guess my moment is over…"_

Sighing, she nodded and jumped down to stand next to him. They were both wearing black tailored business suits for this important announcement. Hakkaku no longer styled his hair into a mohawk; instead he allowed it to grow out to his shoulders to frame his face. Over the centuries, he lost his childish features, making his face become sharper while his lean body did well to accentuate his muscles that held immense power. Overall she thought he looked extremely handsome, even with his human disguise.

"Are you sure you want to do this Kagome-sama?" she heard another voice say.

Turning she saw it was Ginta. Despite his human disguise, he had also grown into a handsome man. His physique filled out nicely with muscles, making him seem more intimidating even in his black business suit. His hair was no longer short since he had grown it out to his lower back where he now holds in a low ponytail. He was also slightly taller than his little brother, Hakkaku, a fact he always rubs in. She smirked remembering all the playful fights they got into as a result, but then frowned as she realized she hadn't changed much. Sure she had filled out, making her body contain more curves and she lost all her baby fat. Physically, she looked no older than eighteen. '_I guess it's a good thing considering what I'm going to do soon…'_

Coming out of her thoughts, she nodded to Ginta for his earlier question. "Hai, I'm sure. Ginta, could you do me a favor and call my friend Ayumi to arrange a lunch for tomorrow?" she asked absently. "And I told you both before to stop with the -sama's." She sighed. The brothers chuckled as the three proceeded to walk to the entrance of the shrine, where there was a podium ready for the press conference.

"It's a force of habit," Ginta shrugged with a smile.

"Since you are our alpha." Hakkaku reminded teasingly. She huffed at their patient responses, knowing they were right and their instincts pushed them to defer to her in pack dynamics. As they grew closer to their destination, their playful bater ceased as they're faces soon morphed into blank expressions.

A few ways behind a podium stood Sesshomaru and Shippo, under human glamours and in their own black suits, while a few feet in front stood many different wolf youkai, disguised as human bodyguards. They were keeping the many journalist, cameramen, and reporters who stood on the sidewalk, from getting even a step closer. She sighed as she, Ginta, and Hakkaku took their place behind the stand as well. _'I hope they don't act like rabid animals and begin screaming when they hear the news…' _She frowned slightly as the human's yelling could not only hurt her sensitive hearing, but the rest of her family. _'Oh well, no going back now…'_ she thought as she watched Shippo step up to the platform.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to thank you for coming on such short notice," came his deep voice through the microphone. Kagome's eyes lit up with hidden amusement as she spotted many females shiver in pleasure at his voice, but otherwise kept her face blank. Her family was known to work with a stoic disposition just as her onii-san, Sesshomaru. "Now I'm sure everyone is wondering what this important announcement might be. Well, there were many theories and rumors to who the identity of 'Kayo Hamada,' the owner and company head of Ookami Industries, could possibly be. _She_ has now decided she would like to come out of hiding from the public after some unexpected events. Now I would like to introduce you to, Miss Kagome Higurashi, the true identity of Ookami Industries' CEO."

Upon hearing that the owner was a female, murmurs were heard, but once they saw Kagome as she stepped up to the podium, they started yelling questions of why someone they perceived as an inexperienced high school student could run a multi-billion dollar company. She wanted to growl in annoyance at their ignorance but withheld it and kept her stoic mask in place.

"I ask not to be disrespected and judged of my capabilities simply by my appearance," Kagome's cold voice came out the microphone, making the humans freeze in their questioning. She heard a few whispers saying she sounded just like Sesshomaru, and from the corner of her eye, she saw her onii-san give a small smirk. "As you now know, I, Kagome Higurashi, am the owner of Ookami Industries. I have chosen to disclose my true identity through a press conference to tell all exactly how I came to be in this position instead of having the public believe an exaggerated account of the truth." Well she won't tell them _exactly_ how she came to power, but they didn't need to know that she was the actual founder and in reality five hundred and eighteen years old. "I had in fact inherited the company from the previous title-holder, for she had discovered four years ago that she was barren and unable to produce any heirs. I will not release information of how we both came to meet one another, for that is to remain private. After it was decided I was to become the heir to Ookami Industries, I was then taught all of which was necessary to run the company productively. Along with that, I was given the opportunity of graduating earlier than my original class. If anyone were to speak to students from my previous school, you would be told I was never in school, for I was constantly falling ill. Those tales are untrue, for instead I was traveling for meetings and exerting most of my time to keeping the company a success."

"After the passing of the previous owner three years ago, I have been running the business in her place. Because many would not take the news of a teenager running such a thriving industry well, I had opted to keep my identity a secret and began using the alias 'Kayo Hamada,' from the owner prior to myself until I decided otherwise. Another reason was I did not want my family to be targeted or harmed for their connection to me as company head. But as you may ultimately discover, my mother and grandfather were killed in a tragic accident while my brother is currently hospitalized and I saw no point in continuing this pretense. My family and business officials you see here are one of the only few who knew the truth and helped me in my journey. That is all I would like to announce. I thank you for your time and hope everyone has a wonderful evening."

With that, Kagome stepped off the podium, ignoring the shouted questions, and walked with her family towards the back exit of the shrine where there was an awaiting limo to take them home. Sliding in, she laid down comfortably on one of the side seats while Sesshomaru and Shippo sat in front of her and Ginta and Hakkaku sat on the seat at the limo entrance. Sighing irritably, Kagome rubbed her temples as she felt a headache coming on. Her hearing never could get used to the bothersome screams of questions from nosy reporters, but in the business world, it must be done. Hearing an amused snicker, she opened one eye and glared at her son, who merely continued to laugh.

"So, are you still going to go through with what you said before?" asked Ginta curiously. Kagome nodded seriously.

"Are the preparations complete?" she asked them. Hakkaku nodded in affirmative.

"Hai, I found and rented an apartment near the school under your new alias's name. It's a typical middle classed residence with all the necessary living requirements, as requested."

"And I have completed the paperwork needed to provide you a scholarship. I do not usually give out such opportunities so do not fail any courses," Sesshomaru stated firmly. Kagome only smirked before responding.

"Do not worry, onii-sama. We both now I won't fail even math. The only trouble I would cause is a fight or regularly correcting the teacher." Her response earned amused smirks before they once again turned serious.

"Did you do your part, Shippo?' she asked. Her son nodded before giving her a proud grin.

"Hai, okaaasan. I locked away all your alias's files just like I did with your real information. Now, no one will be able to find anything about you and even if they tried, their computer hard drive will collapse with the virus I uploaded."

"And the registry to the school?" she asked them. Ginta nodded this time.

"It's already done. You are officially attending Ouran Academy as Kaname Takahashi." Kagome smiled at them gratefully.

"Thank you so much. I'm glad you're all letting me do this."

"We would not have been able to stop you at any rate," Sesshomaru stated blandly. "At least this way, no one is capable of discovering your true identity, regardless of how much money they spend in their attempt."

"Exactly, okaasan. We don't want anyone making a connection between you and '_Kaname.'_ Besides we know you still want to keep that promise you made to Sango and Miroku and when you found out Haruhi was going to go to Ouran, we had a feeling you would want to get closer to her and Ryoji," Shippo said honestly.

"Considering how protective you already are with the pack, we knew it was bound to happen," Ginta agreed.

"And since we're youkai and working in a powerful company, we can handle basically anything. But them, as humans, even in this day and age, are more likely to get hurt and you would want to be with them if something were to happen," Hakkaku said understandingly. Kagome smile grew and she looked at each of her family members in gratitude.

"Thanks you. I'm glad you understand." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

**"But…"** she heard Ginta and Hakkaku say in unison. She opened one eye and looked at them questioningly. **"Why as a boy?"** the asked curiously. Sesshomaru and Shippo looked at her, also wondering the same. Kagome's expression turned into slight disgust.

"Did you not see the female uniform? I refuse to prance around as a girly sunflower! I don't know how those students can stand to be in a school with a flock of dandelions and not pull their eyes out of their sockets," she grumbled. Her family once again went into a fit of laughter at her comparisons of the uniform. "Besides, I think I can make a handsome boy. With a little magic, I can make an illusion of one. If anyone were to touch me, it will feel exactly like the real thing." She stated confidently.

"Does this mean I have to call you otousan?" Shippo asked, his eyes filled with mirth.

"And must I refer to you as otouto?" Sesshomaru inquired with a smirk.

**"And us onii-sama? Or would you prefer Kaname-sama?"** Ginta and Hakkaku questioned simultaneously. Kagome only let out a small laugh as she heard their requests. _'I have a feeling this school year is going to be fun. Although, I hope I won't have to deal with any arrogant bastards…'_

* * *

><p><strong>Tell me what you think of the changes! I personally prefer how it is now than before :)<strong>

***Chibi Taisho**_  
><em>


	3. The New Student

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

Note: I will be referring to 'Kaname' as a he because… well I want to. Lol

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>One Month<em> _Later_

Kagome groaned, her tail twitching in displeasure, as she opened her eyes at the crack of dawn. Even after centuries, she has yet to rid of the habit Inuyasha had drilled into her. Being youkai though, her body didn't demand as much rest so she decided it was of no consequence. She stretched lazily to waken her numb body as she gazed around her semi-dark room. Within the last month, she has been moving all her necessities into the small apartment herself in preparation for the school year, under her male disguise of course. Her family had offered to help but she refused, pointing out that one of her neighbors was bound to identify them. Now here she was, waking up alone in her two bedroom apartment. Stifling another yawn, she threw off the sheets, intending on walking out of her room towards the only bathroom across the hall.

She stopped as she heard a growl of annoyance and another of disapproval. Blinking, she gazed questionably at the two huddles shifting around underneath the blanket. Tossing the bedspread completely aside, her blue eyes connected with a pair of curious royal purple eyes and a set of glaring golden orbs. '_That's right.__ I'm not alone…'_

"Gomen. I forgot you both were staying with me," Kagome confessed, once again stretching. Hearing another annoyed growl, she saw the golden eyes' glare only seemed to deepen. Reaching out, she began petting his white furry head. "Relax Inuzama, you know I was simply joking. Besides, you can return to sleep once I leave." With her unused hand, she began scratching the female wolf's obsidian ear. "Your mate is irritable when awakened, isn't he Kaminari?" Kagome whispered to the wolf. Kaminari gave a laughing bark, agreeing with her mistress. All the while her mate, Inuzuma, remained oblivious to anything but the pleasant affection his mistress was giving him.

Almost three hundred years ago, Kagome had found the two wolf youkais in her lands, hidden within a small cave. They were both injured from a mob of unprovoked paranoid humans. After healing them and providing food and water, the wolves decided they wanted to join her pack. Since then, the wolf pair rarely left her side, preferring to stay in her company. Soon after taking them in, she found out they were not simply ordinary wolf youkais, but companions with similar qualities as Kirara. Inuzuma, a pure white furred wolf with golden eyes, has power over lightning. His mate, Kaminari, a completely raven haired wolf with royal purple eyes, has the ability to control thunder. Both can shift from their smaller size of an average wolf to their larger form as big as Kirara's. Together they can create a fierce storm with as much force as a violent hurricane.

"Alright, I'm going for a run. I'll return in a while," Kagome told the wolves. They nodded before yawning and curling up together to once again fall into a blissful sleep. _'Good thing they appear similar to wolf-dog mix breeds or the landlord would never have allowed them to stay, no matter how tame they were.' _At first, Kagome had wanted to also bring along Kirara and Buyo, but decided they should instead stay at home with her brother. Shaking the remaining thoughts from her head, she stood and walked towards her bathroom.

Splashing water onto her face, Kagome stared into the mirror as she allowed magic to change her appearance. The sapphire embedded ring resting on her chest above her heart by a silver chain, the very proposing gift from her mate, began to shine, given that she used it as a base for her illusion. Her silky raven tail seemed to be absorbed back into her body as her pointed ears altered into ningen rounded ears. Her jaw bone grew more defined as her facial features grew sharper, losing their feminine shape. Her pupils dilated, rounding from their original slit form, though she left the actual color of her eyes alone. She decided to leave her midnight blue hair untouched as well, not caring that males in this day and age rarely allowed it to grow to their lower backs. Her eyebrow twitched as she felt her womanly areas convert into characteristics that were _definitely_ male. It always felt unusual, for the illusion felt more like a transformation than anything else.

Shrugging uncaringly, Kagome changed into a pair of lose shorts and white t-shirt. It was early in the morning, so she still had time to run laps for exercise. From the day she moved in, she only released her illusion within the safety of her apartment. Going back into her room, she found four pairs of silver metal cuffs in her night stand. Once she attached them to her arms and legs, she added five hundred pounds to each. She didn't want centuries of training to go to waste, Sesshomaru would never allow that, and decided one hundred laps around the apartment complex would be enough for now, though not by much.

Locking the door behind her, Kagome began descending the stairs to begin her run. Once on the ground, she began jogging in even, measured steps along the street. Not many humans were awake at such an early hour, though she would see the occasional father heading off to work. Gazing up at the dim sky, she watched as the sun's rays created a show of bright colors. Sighing, she began recalling the recent month's happenings.

The day after the press conference, Kagome had her lunch in her home with Ayumi. She had thought her innocent friend would have been overwhelmed and begin flooding her with questions, as she had no doubt her other two friends would have. Yet when Ayumi arrived, she simply smiled understandingly and occasionally marveled at the beauty of her home while she ate, patiently waiting for Kagome to explain. Based on her reaction, Kagome decided to reveal everything from the moment she first fell down the well when she was searching for Buyo. Ayumi took it all exceptionally well and eagerly asked to see her animal form. After reluctantly transforming into her smallest form the size of a typical pup, for she did not want to frighten her friend, Kagome was promptly attacked by a squealing Ayumi.

Since then, the two friends grew closer and Ayumi would spend most of her time in her presence. Though Ayumi would constantly ask to see her animal form, to which Kagome would usually concede to since her friend knew just where to scratch. Ayumi always accompanied her to visit her brother, Souta, at the hospital despite the often intimidating swarm of questioning reporters. While Kagome had no qualms telling Ayumi her deepest secrets, she disliked the idea of telling Yuka or Eri. She didn't think she could stand their superficial personalities and often insensitive comments. This is why she came to the decision she would never tell them and only tolerate them if necessary.

Almost a week later, Souta was released from Tokyo Hospital, leaving doctors baffled at his quick recovery. He was proclaimed a walking miracle to have survived a catastrophic accident and heal in a short amount of time. Souta was soon told of what had occurred as a result of the accident, for he had been sleeping most of the time in the hospital and said he only remembered napping in the car after returning from the grocery store. Kagome held him as he first mourned the loss of their mother and grandfather. She had already come to terms with their death and could only offer comfort to her little brother.

When Souta had arrived at her mansion, he had been awe-struck after being told of her five hundred year journey through history and Kagome, along with the rest of her youkai family, promptly became his idols. He's been treated at home by many specialists who happen to be members of her tribe. A psychiatrist for any mental trauma from both the accident and death of their family, doctors for observing the process of his complete recovery, and a physical therapist to assist him in using his broken leg. He's now mobile through the use of crutches. Although she could have simply healed the broken limb, she didn't want her little brother to feel the excruciating pain when it was suddenly snapped back in place. Instead she helps mend it little by little each day, the fracture expected to be completely healed in less than three weeks time.

A few days passed and the private funeral was held within the Higurashi shrine. There were many guards posted throughout the property since the media was still in a frenzy. Her mother and grandfather's bodies had already been cremated and their ashes deposited in antique vases to be placed inside the family shrine. Many friends and family members came to grieve and offer their condolences to the Higurashi siblings. To her displeasure, there were many camera crews broadcasting the event and many extravagant flowers and gifts were sent to her from many prominent business officials. The gesture was polite, but she knew most were only to get into her good graces. Despite that, the memorial service progressed without a hitch; until it was over and they're guests were departing.

**Flashback:**

**Kagome stood with a stoic expression next to her brother near the exit of the shrine as people came to them to once again offer their condolences and bid them farewell. She was wearing another black female suit with her hair pinned up into a tight bun while her brother wore a tailor-made black suit. Souta gave a small smile to another distant family member as she expressed how sorry she was for their situation while Kagome simply nodded in acceptance. The woman only gave a sad smile before she left down the shrine steps.**

**Kagome sighed tiredly as another group of people came to speak with them. She knew they were being genuine yet she didn't need their pitying glances or words. She blinked as she realized two angry and two worried auras were heading in their direction. She didn't expect to be faced with the two teary-eyed, angry faces of Eri and Yuka with an uneasy Ayumi and Hojo. Neither did she expect to have two hands from the two apparently angry girls directed to her face, intending on slapping her on both sides. Centuries of training kicked in and she calmly captured both their wrists in a firm grip.**

"**On what grounds do you have for attacking me?" she demanded coolly. Souta and Ayumi watched the scene nervously, though they were more uneasy knowing the two naïve girls might anger Kagome to the point she would physically harm them. The two females were already known for their callous choice of words. Three guards were already surrounding them, though they waited until they were given the command to take the girls away.**

"**How could you!" they shouted in unison, trying desperately to get out of her strong grasp. Their combined strength didn't even move her arms an inch. **_**'When did Kagome get so strong…?**_'

"**How could I what?" Kagome replied, regarding them with cold blue eyes as she released them. She was slightly curious of what would cause them to react as such, but then again they were often overly-dramatic.**

"**How could you just stand there and pretend like nothing happen? Like you didn't just lose your family? You're so cruel!" Yuka shouted angrily.**

"**How could you go behind our backs and lie about you being sick when you were living a luxury with your company! What else have you been lying about!? Did that ex boyfriend, Inuyasha, actually exist!?" Both girls were completely oblivious of Kagome's suddenly stiffened form or the fact her hands were balled tight until completely white from loss of passing blood.**

"**Even if he did exist, you don't have to be such a bitch to us or the memory of your family!" Yuka screamed again. "You didn't cry once in this funeral! Did you even care about them?"**

"**What kind of friend are you? You told Ayumi but you didn't even bother to tell us? Or even poor Hojo! No wonder you never went out with him! You never deserved him!"**

"**We've always helped you!" They bellowed in unison. "And now you act like-" **

**They stopped midsentence as they were both abruptly grabbed around the collar of their shirts and lifted off the ground. **

**"Hey! What the fuck are-" **

**They once again stopped as they came within inches of one **_**infuriated **_**Kagome. Unconsciously, they gulped in fear as they realized their mistake and they could have **_**sworn**_** her eyes flashed red for an instant.**

"**Have you ever once thought that a true friend would have been more understanding of my situation?" Kagome whispered harshly, making them flinch. "That I kept my secret for everyone's own protection? If you had been concerned with anyone beside yourselves, you would have noticed you two were not the only ones to not have known and only recently have I confessed to Ayumi. Owning a company is not a luxury and I did not lie about that pathetic man of an 'ex-boyfrind.' You should have known that I will not shed a tear because I need to be strong for my otouto. That my okaasan and ojiisan would not want me to be upset. If you two were true friends, you would not have attempted to attack me at the funeral of my deceased family!" She growled angrily. Kagome was starting to have trouble containing her rage for their immense disrespect. **

"**Kagome…?" Souta asked tentatively, touching her shoulder. He was beyond livid Eri and Yuka would say things like that to his sister but he needed her to calm down or she would end up killing them without remorse. His 'nephew' Shippo told him what happens when Kagome gets upset and about what happened all the times something or someone was stupid enough to piss her off.**

"**Calm down, Kagome," Ayumi whispered, touching her other shoulder. "They don't know what they're talking about. Don't do something you'll regret."**

"**I will not regret it," Kagome growled, still glaring at the two frightened suspended forms of her 'friends.' They whimpered when they felt her grip on them tighten.**

"**Okasaan, release the ningens," ****Shippo whispered as he appeared behind her. **_**"**_**Please, before you end up transforming right in front of them. Your youki is at a high enough level to where we could feel you if we were on the other side of town."**** Kagome growled in annoyance at her kit's request but grudgingly conceded. Without another word, she released her hold, making them fall roughly onto their butts. The small crowd surrounding them let out sighs of relief, since they knew how Kagome reacted violently when enraged. They then turned and glared heatedly at the two self-centered females, making them shrink further to the floor.**

"**Get rid of them," Sesshomaru ordered the guards from behind Shippo. On either of the Western Lord's side stood Ginta and Hakkaku with equally stoic expressions. The guards nodded before hoisting the crying girls from the ground and leading them out the property. **

**Looking back at Kagome, Sesshomaru saw her countenance was once again indifferent, though he could see the rage still boiling in her eyes. She must still be trying to reign in her instinctive demand for blood. When a youkai feels his pack, even the memory of deceased ones, are harmed in any way, their base instinct is to protect and destroy. **_**'Especially in Kagome's case. She's already unpredictable as it is…'**_

"**Kagome…?" Hojo asked warily, talking for the first time. Before he could talk with her further, Ayumi stepped before him, blocking his way to her.**

"**Hojo, I think it would be best if you leave now."**

"**But-"**

"**Kagome's already been through enough," Ayumi interrupted gently. Hojo was unsure, but gave a reluctant nod in agreement. He was ready to turn and leave but he was stopped when Ayumi grabbed his arm.**

"**And can you please not try to ask Kagome out anymore? I know you like her but she's doesn't feel the same and not ready for a relationship," she informed sympathetically. Hojo gave a sigh in defeat before nodding once again and turning to leave.**

"**Are you ok, Kagome-chan?" Ginta and Hakkaku asked simultaneously, for once dropping the honorific as their alpha. Kagome simply nodded, still too angry to form words.**

**End Flashback**

Kagome growled in irritation of the simple memory of the two females. Since that day, Ayumi stopped being friends with the two fools and, thankfully, neither ever saw them again. She later found out a news network somehow got a clip of the whole outburst. She was fortunate nothing suspicious could be seen on her part, but for Eri and Yuka, they were now up for the public's merciless ridicule with their reputation in shambles. She almost pitied them. Almost.

Gazing at the sky after her last lap, Kagome saw the sun was now rising. '_I need to get ready for school.' _Sighing at the thought of once again attending, not just a regular school, but a high-classed academy filled with arrogant bastards, she began taking the steps up to her apartment.

"?" She paused as she heard the sound of giggling. Glancing around, she spotted two teenage girls down the hall looking at her with faint blushes, whispering and giggling to one another. She needed to pass them to go up to her apartment. Sighing exasperatedly, she decided to be polite to for once instead of ignoring them. She actually hasn't spoke to any of her neighbors within the apartment complex.

"Hello," she greeted, easily shifting to a deeper timbre of a male voice, giving them a quick look as she walked by them. The females gasped in surprise before squealing in delight.

**"H-hello, Kaname-sama,**" they chirped together. Kagome blinked in surprise, and gave them another quick glance before continuing to walk down the hall. _'How in the hell do they know my name?'_

* * *

><p>"Did you see the new student? He's absolutely gorgeous!"<p>

"Really?" Her friends asked.

"Hai, he's one of the scholarship students." A third girl informed her friends. "I was just at the office and he was there picking up his schedule. I found out he's a third year!"

"Oh, an older man!" they gushed.

"Do you think he'll join the Host Club?"

"I hope so! I'll be his number one custom-"

"Shhhh! Here he comes!" The two girls turned eagerly in the direction their friend was pointing to.

Walking in their direction was the man they were currently admiring. Standing proud at five foot six inches was Kaname Takahashi. He wore a blue collared shirt with the two top buttons undone to allow his neck to move and unintentionally exposing his smooth collarbone. The color of the shirt brought out and complimented his blue eyes. Over the shirt was a black light button up sweater with only the bottom half of the buttons done. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows to expose toned muscled arms. To finish the wardrobe, he had a pair of black slacks and boots. His silky midnight blue tinted hair swayed freely behind him as his face held an uninterested appearance. Yet if one looked closely, and some of the girls were, you could see his perceptive eyes quickly analyze a movement or sound before dismissing it to gaze at something else of interest. Overall he held an intelligent air yet wild persona that the females continued to worship.

_~Sigh~_ "Just look at him, he's so handsome," a girl whispered.

**"Mhmm~"** a group of girls chorused dreamily.

Kaname sighed in aggravation as he continued to hear what the females were saying. It's not like he could avoid it since the females kept following him. It was all he could hear since he walked to school this morning. Some people had even openly gaped at him from their limos as he got closer to the Academy. Now, practically the whole school knew his name, age, grade, and appearance and he only just received his schedule ten minutes ago! At first he didn't care what anyone said and simply ignored everyone as he began looking for the one person he was doing all this work for. But now, it's just plain infuriating having strangers talk of you as if you're not within hearing distance.

Closing his eyes, Kaname frowned as he heard the bell ring for the beginning of class. His frown only deepened as he heard the stalking females sigh in pleasure. He already memorized both his schedule and the school map so he knew where he needed to be. Sighing in disappointment, he was about to turn around, only to be caught off guard when he felt something run straight into him from behind. Reflexes kicked in and he used the force of the impact to spin quickly to the side and catch whoever ran into him, causing the person to drop all their belongings. The position they ended up in looked much like a low dip one does when dancing, making the females cheer in joy. However, Kaname paid no mind to them as his blue eyes connected with a familiar pair of dazed warm brown orbs. His eyes widened a fraction in recognition before he gave her a small smile.

Haruhi Fujioka was momentarily confused. She had been running so she wouldn't be late for her first class of the day. And all of a sudden she feels like someone was holding her. She blinked to rid the sudden dizziness and came face to face with the most beautiful man she's ever seen. '_How…?' _ Her eyes widened as she realized she ran into him when she was looking down at the school map given to her. Giving an embarrassed blush, she couldn't help but notice he appeared to have recognized her, yet she's never met him before. She would have remembered somebody as unique as him.

"Are you alright?"

Haruhi almost jumped out of her skin at the sound of his baritone voice, though she grimaced when she heard the group of females cry out as they continued to watch them. Laughing nervously, she nodded as he set her on her feet, lifting her as easily as a feather. She finally took notice that he wasn't wearing the uniform and assumed he was another scholarship student as well.

"Gomennasai!" she bowed low, "I was in such a rush and wasn't watching where I was going so-" she stopped and glanced up in surprise as she felt him lightly pat her already messy hair .

"It's alright. You did not harm me," he said, dismissing her apology. He then reached down and swiftly collected her books before she was even able to finish telling him it wasn't necessary of him. Stacking them on top one another, he held them out for her to take.

"Thank you," she whispered gratefully.

"What is your name?" Kaname asked with a small smile. He needed to start somewhere and an introduction was a logical choice.

"Haruhi Fujioka," she replied.

"Well Fujioka-san, I am Kaname Takahashi. May I ask of something from you?"

"Uh… Sure. I guess. And it's just Haruhi."

"Haruhi, then you must call me Kaname. If it's alright with you, would you like to be my friend?" Kaname asked pleasantly as he saw Haruhi's eyes widened in shock.

"Sure… But why?" Haruhi was unsure of what to think of this man, but she couldn't help but feel a desire to be around him and in his comforting embrace. It's completely unusual. He wasn't like most of the rich bastards in this school.

"You're different," he answered simply. Haruhi tilted her head and gave him a questioning gaze. Sighing, Kaname gave into her curiosity. "You… remind me of someone." Haruhi noticed how his eyes dimmed slightly and, though he held the small smile, it almost appeared strained. The signs were small and almost unnoticeable, but she could tell whoever it was is no longer alive.

"Ok, then," she smiled understandingly. She didn't want to see her new friend upset. "Where's your homeroom? We need to hurry if we don't want to be–" They heard the late bell ring. "Late," Haruhi finished, sweat-dropping. Kaname only chuckled at her reaction.

"Come. I will escort you to your homeroom," he told her as he glanced briefly at her schedule before heading in the right direction. Fortunately, the group of females had already left in the beginning of their conversation.

"But what about you? You're going to be even later," Haruhi said as she ran to catch up to him. Kaname only shrugged uncaringly as he continued to lead her to her class.

"How do you even know where you're going?" Haruhi asked as she stared in confusion at the school map.

"I memorized the map," he replied simply.

"This place is huge and you memorized the whole-"

"We're here," Looking up, she was again surprised as she saw it was indeed her homeroom class.

"Thank you, I would have probably never found the class without you," Haruhi said, sighing in relief.

"No problem," Kaname then turned and began walking away. "Until later, Haruhi," he said, turning his head slightly to glimpse at her and wave his hand once in farewell.

"Bye! And thank you again!" Haruhi called out happily before turning and rushing into her class. With one final glance, Kaname continued on his way towards his homeroom. _'I'll always keep my promise old friends…'_

* * *

><p>"Was that everyone? Great! I hope we all have a wonderful school year together. Let's start with-" the teacher stopped as he heard the knock on the classroom door. "Can you open it?" he asked a female student sitting near the door. The girl nodded before standing and opening the door. The class grew silent with curiosity with who it could possibly be.<p>

"Sumimasen, sensai for coming late," a male said as he stepped into the class. He gave a nod in thanks to the blushing female who opened the door, causing her face to turn scarlet, before walking towards the teacher. "I am new to this school and as a result, became lost." He easily lied, ignoring the ogling of his female, and some male, classmates.

"Since it's your first day, I'll let it slide but do remember to come on time from here on out. Now, what is your name?"

"Kaname Takahashi," he stated uninterestedly as the teacher checked the class role.

"Ah, one of the excelling scholarship students! Welcome to the class, Takahashi-san. Everyone has already introduced themselves so you might as well do also while you're up here." Kaname gave an inaudible sigh before turning to face his excited classmates.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu. My name is Kaname Takahashi." He then glanced at the teacher. "May I take my seat now?" The teacher sweat dropped, but before he could reply, his students began raising their hands.

"At least answer some of their questions since they're very curious about you. Then you may be seated," the teacher compromised. Kaname growled, though it only served to energize the student's efforts.

"Is that your real eye color?" one boy asked, slightly embarrassed. Kaname nodded.

"Do you work out?" A girl questioned. Kaname once again nodded.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Another girl asked with a blush. Kaname shook his head once in negative. The females shrieked in happiness, making him begin to regret his answer as their eyes grew hearts while they lost themselves in their outlandish fantasies.

"Settle down everyone," the teacher said, stopping the absurd questioning. "You can sit down now, Takahashi-san." The annoyed male released a sigh in relief before walking to the only available desk next to the window. Once seated, he simply ignored the noises of the class and stared out into the beautiful scenery. Anything the teacher says, he already has been taught at one point or another so he didn't bother to pay attention. His thoughts were solely on a certain doe-eyed first year female. He never even noticed how quickly the time passed or the ringing of the bell marking the end of class.

Kaname blinked when he felt the sensation of a something coming towards him and grabbed it before it could make impact. He blinked again when he realized it was a small hand. '_Don't be a female…'_ Following the arm, he was faced with a shocked blonde. He almost thought he was only a child with his stuffed animal, but reconsidered the possibility when he saw he was not only wearing the school uniform, but could feel the hidden strength he held. Behind the short male stood an indifferent male as he carefully watched them interact. Kaname noticed how the intimidating male seemed to analyze him for any potential threat to the child-like boy. '_Interesting…' _He released the smaller male's wrist and turned his attention back to him, silently asking what he wanted.

"Wow Kame-chan! I thought you were daydreaming since you didn't notice class was over, but you caught my hand before I could poke you. You must know how to fight!" he declared with wide eyes. Kaname chose to ignore the informal familiarity in the use of his name. He had a feeling the boy did this to everyone.

"As do you," Kaname stated, making both males eyes widen.

"How did you know?" the child-like boy asked in awe. Nobody could ever tell of his skills until they saw him fight first hand. Kaname reached out and once again grabbed his wrist in strong grip, making him twitch in retaliation.

"You fought down your first instinct to throw me off your person. Only experienced fighters have such controlled impulses," Kaname explained as he released his wrist once more. "Now, who are you?" he bluntly asked, ignoring their stunned forms.

"Oh! I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but you can call me Honey!" He smiled widely. "And that's Takashi Morinozuka, but everyone just calls him Mori." Honey motioned happily to the quiet raven with him. The tall male, Mori, nodded in greeting. Honey then proudly held up his bunny stuffed animal. "And this is Usa-chan!"

"…" Kaname glanced up at the equally stoic male then back at the cheerful boy holding his bunny. "It's a pleasure to have meet you," he stated pleasantly. The three males turned when they abruptly heard a chorus of crying females at the classroom door.

"Did you see that?"

"So amazing!"

"Such beauty!"

"You should join the Host Club with us Kame-chan!" Honey said with a giant smile. "We can have cake together! And cookies and chocolates and- Oh! And ice cream!"Honey cried, waving his arms in glee.

Kaname simply watched the small boy with amusement.

_'It's getting_ _late_…' He realized, standing to begin heading to his next class for the day on time. He stopped when he felt someone tug on his sleeve.

"Can I see your schedule, Kame-chan?" Honey asked with large cute eyes. Shrugging, he decided to appease the boy and handed him his schedule as they walked out of class, Honey climbing atop of Mori as he gazed curiously at the sheet of paper.

"We have the next class together, Kame-chan!" cried an enthusiastic Honey.

"Is that so?" Kaname replied absently. He could tolerate the two males. _'Honey reminds me of Shippo when he was a kit_.'

* * *

><p>Kaname stood alone in the middle of the empty hallways of the academy. The day was finally over and now, most of the students have either left home or stayed for clubs activities. Taking a delicate whiff of the air, the fading scent of jasmine and green tea invaded his senses. <em>'There she is…' <em>Looking around the hallway, he made sure there was no one present before disappearing from sight, following the aroma as he ran towards his unsuspecting ward. He came to an abrupt stop at a hallway corner, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he casually leaned against the wall, appearing as if he had always been there. Soon, the sounds of footsteps were heard heading for his direction.

"Kaname-kun?"

Opening one eye, Kaname looked at a surprised Haruhi.

"What are you still doing in school?" He only gave a shrug before closing his eyes once more.

"Why are you still here?" he asked instead.

"Oh, I was hoping I could stay to study but all the libraries are too noisy. I think these rich bastards only come to school to have a good time," Haruhi grumbled. Kaname smiled lightly before opening his eyes and standing up straight.

"Let us search for a quiet room then." Haruhi smiled before nodding and they both began walking down the corridor.

"So~," Haruhi began, wanting to fill up the silence. "Did you like the school so far?" Kaname lifted an eyebrow at the strange question.

"It is… acceptable."

"Oh umm that's good," she commented. She began racking her brain for another subject to start a conversation with. "Um… do you have any siblings?"

"Hai, I have an otouto. And I have many close friends who I consider siblings." Haruhi noticed how his eyes softened when he talked about them. _'He must really care about them,' _she thought with a smile.

"That's great. I'm an only child and my okaasan died when I was young, so now it's just me and my otousan," she told him with a tender smile.

"I understand. My otousan passed when I was young as well." Technically he wasn't lying; his father did die when he was a child. He didn't want to reveal that his mother and grandfather recently died yet. "Maybe one day I can meet your otousan," Kaname said casually, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Haruhi smiled happily at the idea.

"I'm sure he'd love to meet you. Although I have to warn you, he's kind of unusual and theatrical."

"I think I can handle it. I've seen many strange things in this life," he told her cryptically.

"Really? Like what?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm..." He lifted his arm and patted the small female on the head. "I'll tell you one day," he promised. Haruhi gazed up at him with a small pout, but before she could reply, she noticed the ring suspended from his neck.

"That's a unique necklace," she commented absently as she stared at it in interest.

"Hai, it was… a gift," he informed her as his hand unconsciously came up to gently stroke the sapphire ring. Haruhi blinked, but didn't push the subject, having a feeling it was not a topic her newfound friend would openly step into. Looking back down the hall, she stopped before a set of broad, elegant doors.

"Hmm… Music Room 3... sounds quiet enough," she remarked aloud as she stepped closer to the huge doors, forgetting her earlier thoughts. "Don't you think, Kaname?"

"I suppose..." He replied as he stood beside her. Staring at the door, he detected there were six auras within the room. Three of them were unknown, two he recognized, but the last one. It seemed… familiar. _'It almost feels like…' _His eyes widened in shock. '_It can't be… could it?' _ Haruhi was already opening the massive door to look into the room. Neither was expecting to be bombarded by rose petals as the door swung open. Haruhi swatted the petals away as a small sneeze left her. Kaname only held his breath from the strong aroma attacking his heightened senses as he analyzed everyone in the room.

**"Welcome!"** Came the chorused greeting of six different male voices.

"Greetings newcomers! As King, I welcome you to the Host Club!" proclaimed a tall blonde as he stepped towards the two arrivals. Haruhi nervously began attempting to open the door to leave but found it had locked shut on its own. Kaname remained oblivious to her plight as he focused entirely on the handsome blonde.

"It is him…" he whispered to himself.

"What…?" Haruhi asked, stopping her movements to gaze at her friend. He was acting strange. Kaname only shook his head, not looking away from the blonde.

_'__It's Hiroki's reincarnation..'_

* * *

><p><strong>Review to tell me what you think ! :)<strong>

***Chibi Taisho**


	4. Introducing The Host Club !

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

_**Past Life Memories**  
><em>

Note: I will be referring to 'Kaname' as a he because… well I want to. Lol

* * *

><p>Kaname's gaze bore into the tall blonde as he stood among the group of male students. Haruhi stopped her futile attempts at escape and decided it was safer to hide behind him.<p>

_'It is him. I would recognize his aura signature anywhere. Aside from the blonde hair, he appears unchanged.'_

"Th-this is a Host?" Haruhi asked nervously as she poked her head out from behind Kaname.

"**Oh wow, they're boys,"** a pair of redheaded twins said as one.

"Hikaru, Kaoru. I believe the smallest one of these young men is in the same class as you," stated a male with glasses. He held an arrogant and intelligent air to him.

**"Hai, but he's shy**. **He doesn't act very sociably so we don't know much about him,"** they both said as they shrugged.

"Hmm…" the male hummed before giving a smug smirk. "Well that wasn't very polite," he replied, but the twins only shrugged it off without a care. "The other one…." He said as he gazed intensely towards the stoic Kaname. Like the rest of the school, all he knew was his basic information and it annoyed him that he did not know anything of this mysterious male. He couldn't even find out his schedule.

Feeling the glare, Kaname gave the spectacles wearing male a quick glance before dismissing him to gaze back at the tall blonde. This action only seemed to annoy the male even more.

"Kame-chan!" came the joyful cry of Honey as he launched himself at the taller male. Kaname easily caught him from under his arms and placed him atop his shoulders. The smaller male enjoyed being at a higher height and Kaname had grown accustomed to the cheerful boy. Looking around the room, he spotted Mori walking towards them and gave him a nod in greeting, to which Mori nodded in return.

"**You know him sempais?"** the twins asked in interest. Mori and Honey nodded.

"Hai, hai!" Honey said happily as he played with Kaname's hair. "Kame-chan has classes with me and Takashi. He's one of the scholarship students everyone's talking about." He then turned eagerly towards the indifferent male he was currently sitting on. "If you're here Kame-chan, does this mean you're going to join the Host Club?"

"Hmm…" Kaname hummed in thought as he turned to look at an uneasy Haruhi. He had to remain by her side.

"In any case, Welcome to the Ouran Host club, Mr. Honor Students," the spectacles wearing man said pleasantly, though you could hear the irritated edge from being unaware of this new found knowledge.

"What?" the tall blond said in surprise as he appeared in front of them. "You must be Haruhi Fujioka and Kaname Takahashi. You two are the exceptional honor students we heard about."

"How do you know our names?" Haruhi asked uneasily as she poked her head out again. She was unsure of what to do in this situation. Feeling her anxiety, Kaname placed a reassuring hand on the trembling girl's head. Haruhi blinked before smiling in thanks and stepping closer to him for comfort.

"Why you're infamous. It's not every day that commoners gain entrance into our academy," the proud glasses male said simply. "Both of you must have an audacious nerve to fight your way into this school as honor students."

Kaname narrowed his eyes at the male for his words towards him and his charge. This male was the perfect example of the arrogant bastards he wished he did not have to deal with while in this school.

"Well, uhh... Thank you… I guess," Haruhi replied, trying to take it as a compliment.

"You're welcome!" the tall blonde said as he appeared beside Haruhi and pulled her away from Kaname, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "You're a hero to other poor people, Fujioka-san. You've shown the world that even a poor person can excel in an elite private academy!" he said cheerfully as if he was complimenting her. Haruhi attempted to hastily move away from him and return to Kaname, but the blonde male only leisurely followed after her. "It must be hard for you to be constantly looked down upon by others."

"I think you're taking this poor thing too far," Haruhi stated as she continued to move away from him.

Kaname carefully watched them interact as he tossed Honey repeatedly up into the air like one would a toddler.

"Haha! Higher~!" The small male laughed in glee. The two were unaware of Mori watching them with a small smile.

"Scorned, neglected," the blonde continued, oblivious of Haruhi's discomfort. "But that doesn't matter now!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders again as his eyes sparked with joy at his next proclamation. "Long live the poor! We welcome you, poor men, to our world- Of beauty!" He raised his hands into the air as sparkles of light and roses appeared around him in a dramatic effect.

"I'm out of here," Haruhi said aloud as she began walking towards the door. Kaname stopped his actions at hearing her statement and placed Honey on the floor before walking alongside Haruhi.

"Hey! Come back here, Haru-chan, Kame-chan" Honey called as he grabbed both their hands and pulled them back deeper into the room. He didn't want his friend to leave and now he can make another new friend. "You two are like superheroes or something! That's so cool!" he exclaimed in awe.

"We're not heroes. We're honor students," Haruhi corrected in a monotone voice. A tick mark grew on her head as she realized what he called her. "And who are you calling Haru-chan!" she yelled at him.

"!" Honey began crying giant tears as he hid behind Kaname since he was closest. Mori quickly picked up Honey's bunny and threw it at Kaname, which he caught and gave to the sniffling Honey. Kaname then picked up the senior and began throwing him in the air once again to cheer him up.

"Heehee~!" Soon cries of happiness were heard from the small male as he hugged his bunny tightly.

"I wouldn't have imagined the famous scholars would be so openly gay," the tall blonde commented aloud.

"Openly what?" Haruhi said as she stared at him blankly.

Kaname merely raised a brow at the comment as he continued to toss Honey in the air. He supposed he could understand how they came to such a conclusion since Haruhi wasn't wearing anything remotely feminine and he himself was using magic to transform into a male.

"So tell me what kind of guy you're into," the blonde said in sudden delight. "Do you like the strong, silent type?" Mori looked towards them. "The boy Lolita?" Honey gave a cute laugh as he momentarily floated midair, hugging his bunny while smiling at them both. "How about the mischievous type?" The twins linked their arms together as they smirked towards them. "Or the cool type?" The glasses wearing male glanced at them before smirking.

"I… uhh" Haruhi stuttered as she backed away. "I-it's not like that! We w-were just looking for a place to study!"

"Or maybe~" Tamaki murmured, ignoring her words as he grabbed her chin and gazed adoringly into her eyes. "You're into a guy like me? What do you say?"

Haruhi backed away from the close contact and as a result did not see where she was going. Kaname's eyes widened marginally and he paused in his tossing, causing Honey to pout in his arms before he too looked curiously in the same direction. They watched as Haruhi bumped into an expensive looking vase, making it lose its balance and fall to the floor to break into small shards when Haruhi's attempt to catch it failed. Kaname sighed in irritation, knowing he could have caught the vase but that would have required youkai speed and he would rather let the artifact break than to expose one of his greatest secrets.

"**Aw~" **the twins sighed in disappointment from behind Haruhi. "We were going to feature that Renaissance vase in an upcoming school auction." Hikaru told her.

"Oh, now you did it commoner. The bidding on that vase was supposed to start at eight million yen." Kaoru informed her. Although this was the first time he has met the twins, Kaname could easily tell them apart. Not only by their auras, but by subtle differences, such as their voices.

"Eight million yen!" Haruhi exclaimed as she paled in complete shock. "How many thousand yen is that? How many thousands are in a million?" she mumbled to herself as she began counting with her fingers. "Umm… I'm going to have to pay you back."

"**With what money?" **they questioned doubtfully. **"You can't even afford a school uniform."**

"What's with that grubby outfit you got on anyway?" Kaoru asked. Kaname placed Honey down and walked over to stand next to Haruhi. If he had to, he will pay the price for the vase.

"Would you like me to pay for it?" Kaname whispered to Haruhi. She jumped in surprise before she turned to face her friend.

"But how? Do you even have that kind of money?" she whispered back. Kaname gave a small nod.

"B-but it's so much!" she argued in disbelief.

"I have sources," he told her with a carless shrug. He stared into her eyes as she became lost in inner turmoil.

"Well, what should we do, Tamaki?" the spectacled male asked, breaking Haruhi out of her train of thought. Haruhi eyes gained a determined glint, despite her obvious distress, and she shook her head at Kaname before turning to face the group of males. _'I see the stubborn trait still runs in their blood," _Kaname thought amusedly.

"There's a famous saying you may have heard, Fujioka," Tamaki said as he sat in a chair and elegantly crossed his legs. "When in Rome, you do as the Romans do. Since you have no money, you can pay with your body." He then pointed at her. "That means starting today – You're the Host Club's Dog." Haruhi froze and turned stone white at hearing his words. The group of males closed in curiously to watch her for a reaction.

"Poke poke," Honey said as he probed the still form of Haruhi, causing her to lose her balance and fall towards the floor. Kaname caught her before she could hit the ground and hoisted her still lifeless body into his arms.

"I will assist as well," Kaname said, speaking aloud for the first time. The group of males blinked at him in surprise, before the blondes cried out in happiness, Honey taking it a step further and glomping Kaname's back.

"Yay! I knew you would join the Host Club! Now we can eat cake together! And ice cream and cookies and-" he continued to talk animatedly as Tamaki stepped forward to inspect the mysterious male.

"You want to help me?" Haruhi asked in disbelief when she finally came out of her state of shock. Kaname glanced away from the happy blonde on his back to gaze at the female in his arms and responded with a simple nod. Haruhi smiled widely and hugged her friend tightly in appreciation. Kaname blinked in surprise at the sudden show of affection before allowing a small smile to form on his lips. Most of the Host club watched the touching scene with wide eyes while Tamaki had waterfall tears running down his face.

"That was so touching!" Tamaki shouted dramatically as he blew loudly into a silk handkerchief. "Kyoya, he will become a host!" he declared to the spectacles male as he pointed at the expressionless man. Kaname lifted a brow at the statement and placed Honey and Haruhi gently on the floor to face the club members himself.

"**Well, he does have that alluring air to him" **the twins smirked as they began circling him to scrutinize his appearance. **"Despite being a commoner, he has good looks," **they said as they stared at his neutral face.

"There is already a fan club created for him," Kyoya added. "From my knowledge, many females have already joined."

"**And he looks like he works out,"** they said as Hikaru reached out to grab his arm. Kaname firmly grabbed his wrist before he could touch him.

"I do not like to be touched," he stated sternly.

"And a temper," Hikaru observed with a smirk.

"But you let Haruhi and Honey touch you," Kaoru pointed out in confusion.

"I know them," Kaname stated simply as he released Hikaru's wrist. "I am not acquainted with you."

"Hmm…" Tamaki hummed in a thinking position as he stared at Kaname while the rest of the hosts had been giving their opinions of the male. He felt like he should recognize the male, yet he had never met him before. Narrowing his eyes, he gazed intently into Kaname's blue orbs as he attempted to recall his face. The indifferent male returned his gaze head on, ignoring the other hosts, though deep down he was uncertain of what to do with the discovery of Hiroki's reincarnation.

"Why are they staring at each other?" Honey asked aloud as he looked between the two males. Haruhi and Mori shrugged their shoulders as they looked on questionably.

"Maybe the boss is-" Hikaru began.

"Making his own assessment?" Kaoru finished. **"What do you think, Kyoya?"** The spectacled male gazed up inquisitively from writing in his black book at the two staring males and shrugged his shoulders.

"Tamaki does appear serious for once. We will find out soon enough what this is about," he replied as he pushed up his glasses with his index finger. The group of hosts watched intently for a reaction from the two serious males.

'_Despite him being the re-embodiment of Hiroki, they are separate beings. The same soul, yet different lives and I cannot compare the two.'_ Kaname's eyes dimmed slightly in remembrance, knowing from experience the pain it can cause despite it becoming known that Kikyo was not his incarnate. _ 'He at least recognizes me on a subconscious level,'_ he realized as the blonde continued to stare at him in confusion. '_The seal placed on a reincarnated soul blocks the memories of their past life to surface. I could break the seal.'_ He mentally shook his head at the idea immediately. _'No, that will cause disorder within his human mind at the sudden large amount of information. He won't be able to comprehend and distinguish his two sides; his current life and his past life, and as a result, drive him to insanity.' _He sighed as he raked a hand through his hair in frustration. _'The Kamis just love to fuck with me. All I can do is wait and see if he slowly begins to regain his old memories on his own.'_ He narrowed his eyes as he felt someone grab onto his arm and followed the hand to see who would dare touch his person. He stilled when he saw it was Tamaki as he gazed closely at his face.

Tamaki frowned when he could not come up with a conclusion to the unusual feeling he was having. Those bright blue eyes were so uniquely_ familiar_, reminding him of those clear blue skies in his dreams that were always far more beautiful than reality could be able to compare to. Without thinking, he grabbed Kaname's arm and stared fixedly into those sapphire orbs. Their coloration was so rare in Japan that, on a subconscious level, Tamaki recognized and affiliated them to the unusual dreams he's had since he was a child. In his dreams, he would see bizarrely dressed people in what looked like a rural mountain side. He dreamt of wolves mostly and a beautiful woman with blue eyes who always held a matching sapphire ring from her neck. The woman's features, aside from her eyes, were always blurred, yet he constantly craved her presence. He always end up jerking back into awareness whenever there would be a sudden crash or animalistic howl and the woman would tell him to hide before turning to face a monster. _'Youkai…' _his subconscious provided_. _Tamaki's sights switched curiously to Kaname's neck, his eyes widening when he spotted a blue glimmer coming from within the open collar of his shirt. His hand unconsciously rose, intent on pulling the little jewelry out to see if his absurd suspicions were true.

"...!" Kaname froze when he realized what Tamaki was doing and without delay, caught his hand before he could touch the silver necklace. It was far too soon for Tamaki to connect all the dots, knowing that it would be safer for him slowly recapture his incarnates memories on his own instead. Tamaki blinked out of his trance and gazed into Kaname's intense blue eyes. He blushed lightly at his bold actions towards the male, but could not come to regret it, and took a step away from him.

"So does this mean Kame-chan is going to be a host?" Honey asked with hopeful eyes. Tamaki cleared his throat before giving a slightly strained, yet happy smile.

"But of course! The ladies will not be able to resist our handsome addition!" Honey cheered in glee and once again glomped his friend, while Mori and Haruhi smiled. Tamaki decided then that it will be his mission to uncover the secret of Kaname Takahashi. "Mori-sempai! Go get a uniform for him!" The indifferent male darted out the room without a word.

"Hikaru, Kaoru!" he called to the twins as he snapped his fingers.

**"Sir!"** they saluted him in understanding. They each then grabbed one of Kaname's arms, intent on pulling him towards the prep room.

"**Ugh!"** they grunted when the stoic male barely moved even an inch, despite them both using all their strength.

"What are you doing?" Kaname demanded as he remained rooted to his spot.

"Come on!" Hikaru urged as he tugged on his arm.

"We're going to change you into a school uniform!" Kaoru added with a huff.

"Must I change?" Kaname asked in exasperation. He didn't even appear to have trouble holding the twins back.

"If you wish to pay off Haruhi's debt faster by becoming a Host, wearing the uniform will add to your charm with the customers," Kyoya interjected with a smirk. Kaname glared at the male, for he does not like to be treated as a simple tool in his desire for profit. He could tell his intentions from his very words and aura.

"Please, Kame-chan? Will you change?" Honey asked with huge eyes. Kaname glanced at Haruhi, who also had wide pleading eyes, and sighed in irritation before allowing the twins to drag him away.

* * *

><p>Kaname walked alongside Haruhi down the hallway towards the music room. Despite him now being a host and wearing the official school uniform, he refused to leave Haruhi's side and accompanied her as she went to the market to get supplies for the club. Haruhi had adamantly refused to allow him to carry all the bags and was holding one of said bags in her arms while Kaname held another from the strings by his fingers at his side. They both walked through the door as they were assaulted by roses and the enchanted chatter of dandelions. Kaname was able to hear what every female was saying with his advanced hearing. Meanwhile Haruhi wore a deadpaned expression as she gazed around at the captivated females.<p>

"I baked you a cake today," he heard a females say shyly as they strolled deeper into the room. "Would you like to taste it?"

"Only if you feed it to me, darling," Tamaki replied as he grabbed her chin to gaze in her eyes.

"Oh Tamaki, you're so dreamy…" she practically melted into his arms. Kaname almost rolled his eyes at the display.

_**High School Second Year, Tamaki Suoh ("Host Club King")**_

"May I have a word with you, Tamaki?" a redheaded girl said beside him. "I recently heard the Host Club is keeping a pair of kittens without a pedigree."

Kaname narrowed his eyes, unable to contain the warning growl towards the self centered female as he noticed the dark intentions radiating from her. Haruhi noticed the glare her friend was giving the other female and wondered what she just missed. Tamaki and his group glanced up at the sound and the blonde smiled at them in greeting.

"Ahh, little piglets. Thank you for doing the shopping. Did you get everything on the list?" he called out, catching the attention of most of the occupants to the arrivals.

"What? Piglet?" Haruhi mumbled to herself with a sweat drop. She then sighed in defeat and reached into her bag for a coffee container.

_**High School First Year, Haruhi Fujioka ("Host Club Dog")**_

"What is this?" Tamaki asked in confusion, eyeing the container of grounded coffee in his hand.

"Just what it looks like," Haruhi muttered dully. "Its coffee."

"I've never seen this brand before," he admitted. "Is this the kind that's already ground?"

"What do you mean? Its instant coffee."

"**Instant?"** A pair of woman sitting in a couch across repeated in wonder.

"Oh, I heard of this before!" Tamaki said in realization. "This is commoner's coffee, where you just add hot water!" His exclamation caused many of the Host and customers to come and crowd around them in curiosity.

"I didn't know there was such a thing," one female commented.

"So it's true then?" Another girl said. "Poor people don't even have enough free time to grind their own coffee beans." The group of females nodded in agreement, pitying the 'poor people.'

"Commoners are pretty smart," Kyoya remarked as he and the twins appeared beside them.

"100 grams for 300 yen?" Hikaru said.

"That's a lot less than we normally pay," Kaoru observed.

"We'll go back to the store and buy something else," Haruhi muttered in annoyance. "Excuse us for not getting you guys expensive coffee."

"No I'll keep it," Tamaki said as he raised his hand to stop her. "I'm going to give it a try!" he declared determinately, causing the crowd to gasp in shock. "I will drink this coffee!" The crowd began to applaud him for his bravery. Tamaki lifted his hand to calm the clapping, despite the fact he was obviously enjoying the attention based on the smirk he wore. "Alright Haruhi, get over here and make some of this commoners coffee." Kaname shook his head at the stupidity of it all as he gently pushed Haruhi towards the large table in the room, seeing as the female was frozen in a depressed state.

"I hate all these damn rich people," Haruhi muttered. Kaname nodded at her statement, completely agreeing with her.

"Oh Tamaki," a female who was still seated on the couch began, catching the attention of the two. Kaname frowned when he noticed it was the same self centered female. "Now you're taking the joke too far. Your palate won't be able to stomach that crap. You don't have to drink it just because they bought it." She then turned to face them with a fake smile. "Gomen, I was talking to myself." Kaname glared irritably at the female for her words.

"Umm.." Haruhi was unable to reply, for Tamaki had called out to her. "Coming!" Before she could walk away, Kaname handed her his bag of items, making Haruhi give him a questioning look. Tamaki once again called out to her, causing her to sigh in defeat as she turned and walked towards the 'King' to make his coffee. Kaname decided he will set the egotistical girl straight and walked to stand in front of her, practically caging her to her spot as he bent over her enough to face her. She looked into his intense blue eyes with her own wide, 'innocent' eyes as a faint blush appeared on her nose.

"W-what are y-you…" she stuttered. She stopped, shivering in fear, as she heard the threatening growl he gave out.

"If you threaten her in anyway…" he growled out.

"B-but I woudn't…!" she was cut off when he suddenly clutched her jaw firmly in his palm as his face came within an inch of hers.

"I will personally finish you off," he promised as he trailed a finger down her jugular. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened in absolute terror at the apparent danger this male posed. Without another word, Kaname stood straight and began to stride leisurely away with a pleased tilt of his lips.

**"AHH~!"** Kaname came to an abrupt halt as he was suddenly surrounded by a group of yellow dandelions.

"He's so terrifying!" one called out.

"So protective!" another said as stars filled her eyes.

"And did you see his smirk?" a girl asked her friend with a blush.

"So handsome!" she replied dreamily.

_**High School Third Year, Kaname Takahashi ("Mysterious" New Host)**_

"Kuso…" Kaname muttered in exasperation. He once again cursed his enhanced hearing as he continued to hear the loud chattering of the group of love-struck females. He glanced around quickly to ensure his area of personal space was not invaded, only for his frustration to grow as the females edged closer.

"Oh he's such a bad boy for cursing!"

"His voice is so deep!"

"This is the first time I actually heard him speak!"

'_Damn it, you would think cursing turns theses proper women off,' _Kaname thought as he easily sidestepped every female that attempted to grab hold of him.

"I see you have gotten acquainted," a cool voice said. They turned to face none other than Kyoya as he wrote away in his black book.

_**High School Second Year, Kyoya Ootori ("Vice-President")**_

"Kaname these are your customers." He informed with a smirk. Kaname's eyes widened a fraction as he counted the large amount of females.

"Chikuso…" he muttered, wincing when the dandelions squealed once more. _'Fine... I was told they will forget the debt if I get 100 customers to request me,'_ he sighed. _'But I'll deal with that later. For now I must return to my ward.'_

"Ladies… I must return to the rest of the hosts." The females squealed again and began chatting with one another about him as though he weren't standing in front of them. Taking the distraction, he quickly slipped away and strolled over to the group of hosts and their customers as they were about to taste the instant coffee. Tamaki currently had a girl in a low dip as he murmured a flirtatious question to her, causing the group of females to scream in delight as they're eyes grew into hearts.

"This is ridiculous…" Haruhi muttered in exasperation. Kaname nodded in agreement, already getting tired with being a host.

* * *

><p>Kaname rested his head on the back of his seat as he sat in the middle of a couch, surrounded by his customers. They had to bring out another couch, for there wasn't enough room for all of them to sit. Glancing around the room, he spotted Haruhi walking by the twins with an expensive tea set on a tray.<p>

"So he had this nightmare that made him bolt right out of bed," Hikaru laughed as he told their customers a story.

"Hikaru! Don't tell them that story!" Kaoru interjected in false embarrassment. He then looked down to the ground as tears of sadness fell from his eyes. "I asked you not to tell anyone that. Why are you so mean to me?"

"Gomen, Kaoru…" his twin whispered in surprise at his show of sorrow. He then cupped Kaoru's face gently in his hands as he bent down until they were within centimeters of one another to stare softly into his eyes. "I didn't mean to upset you. But you were so adorable when it happened that I had to tell them. Gomen…" he whispered in regret.

"I forgive you…"

_**High School First Years, Hikaru & Kaoru Hitachiin ("The 'Very Close' Hitachiin Twins")**_

"**Ah! I've never seen brotherly love quite like that!" **their female customers screamed in glee as their faces grew scarlet. Kaname raised a brow at the display, unimpressed. A corner of his lips quirked upward when he heard Haruhi's comment as she too remained unaffected by the show.

"Oh, did you see that! He smirked again!" one of his customers called out in delight, causing him to go back to a neutral expression.

"He's just so handsome, I can watch him all day!" a female gushed as they once again began talking amongst themselves about him. He wanted to roll his eyes in annoyance since the females easily found enjoyment in anything that he does. _'I need entertainment from this…' _

His wish came true when he saw two people walk into the club room; Mori with Honey riding on his back.

"Gomen for running late…" Honey yawned out sleepily as he rubbed his eye.

"Hello Honey! Hey Mori!" one of their female customers greeted.

"We've been waiting here for you guys!" a second female said from the couch across the first female.

"Gomen," Honey apologized as Mori placed him on his feet. "I fell asleep while waiting for Takashi to finish his kendo meeting." He began rubbing his eye again to rid the blurriness of sleep from his sight as he sat on a couch, creating a cute display as flowers danced around him. "And I'm still not completely awake…"

_**High School Third Year, Mitsukuni Haninozuka ("Honey" for short)**_

The females blushed before crying out in bliss at how cute Honey was as they fidgeted in their seats.

"..." Mori remained silent as usual for he had nothing he wanted to say as he sat on the couch across from Honey.

_**High School Third Year, Takashi Morinozuka ("Mori" for short)**_

Kaname decided in that moment to head over to them. Standing from his seat, he ignored his customers as they watched him walk away towards the two cousins' location. He stopped as he saw Haruhi conversing with Kyoya and changed courses, silently walking over to stand near his ward, with only Kyoya noticing his arrival. He leaned against the wall as he watched Honey suddenly throw himself at the girl, causing her to spin and become dizzy.

"Haru-chan, do want to have some cake with me?" he asked excitedly.

Kaname's ears perked at the word cake. After raising a sugar addicted kit for over five hundred years, his habits had rubbed off on him. He had always enjoyed sugary treats since back when he was a young child, but he simply couldn't eat them when he was human since he would gain a tremendous amount of weight. After becoming youkai however, he can eat whatever the hell he wants without any repercussions. He stepped over to stand next to Haruhi as Honey presented his bunny to her. Kaname watched in amusement as the man-child put the pieces together and figured out Haruhi was in fact a girl.

"Kame-chan!" Honey cried out as he launched himself at the impassive male. Kaname easily caught him and placed him to ride on his back, listening as Kyoya explained to Haruhi the works of the club and how Tamaki was the number one requested host.

"In order for to pay off your debt of eight million yen, you will act as the Ouran's Host Club's dog until you graduate." He gave a pleasant smile. "Gomen, I meant our errand boy. That is, unless Kaname can get the designated amount of requests. You can try to run away, but just so you know, my family employs a private police force of one hundred officers. By the way, do you have a passport?"

Kaname growled in annoyance at him, unimpressed at his threats and gaining the three people's attention as he walked to be face to face with Kyoya.

"Do not disrespect us simply because of your false sense of superiority," he stated coldly. He moved closer to his face, their noses almost touching as Kyoya's eyes, wide with a combination of surprise and anger, stared into his hardened blue orbs. "Insult Haruhi again, and I will deal with you myself," he promised. Despite Kaname being shorter than him, the warning was clear as day, causing Kyouya to give a small, barely noticeable gulp in nervousness.

"Kaname?" Said male glanced at a shocked Haruhi from the corner of his eye. "Your… defending me?" Kaname pulled away from Kyouya and nodded, slightly wary on how the girl will take his protectiveness. As Alpha, he always tended to react this way towards any danger to his pack members. He relaxed when he saw Haruhi smile.

"You're like an onii-san," she laughed, hugging him when Honey jumped off of him. Kaname tenderly ruffled her messy hair in response.

"**AHHH~!" **came the feminine shrieks of a large crowd of girls surrounding them.

"He's so caring for defending Haruhi like that!"

"So touching!"

"It moved me to tears!" Many of the females agreed with the girl as they wiped their own eyes. Kaname sighed in irritation while a sweat dropping Haruhi let go of him as the girls continued their high pitched squawking.

"Kame-chan, do you want to go eat cake with me?" Honey looked up at him with wide eyes as he tugged on his jacket sleeve, appearing much like a child.

"Hm?" Kaname glanced down at the small male before looking at Haruhi who was now being preached about appearances by Tamaki. Seeing as she could handle herself with the blonde and wanting to get away from the female dandelions, he nodded and followed the cheery boy to his table. He saw Mori sitting on one couch between two of his customers while one sat alone on the couch across.

"You can get any kind you want, Kame-chan." Honey stated as Kaname settled on the couch.

Kaname nodded and grabbed a random plate while Honey began eagerly devouring his own from his seat next to him. He closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation as he placed a small forkful of the treat into his mouth. They quickly snapped open when he heard sighs of pleasure and saw his customers standing nearby to watch him.

"How can you handle this on a daily basis?" Kaname muttered to Mori across from him.

"Hn." Mori shrugged, a small smile on his lips as he watched his friend's growing annoyance.

"Obnoxious!" Everyone turned towards the voice and saw the twins huddled around Haruhi while Tamaki went into his corner of sorrow.

"**You're a hero alright,"** the twins laughed as they patted her head.

"Gomen, sempai. But your lesson did strike a small cord with me," Haruhi apologized. Kaname lifted a brow as he took another bite of his cake, knowing the beauty speech hadn't affected her as she said.

"Really?" Tamaki quickly got over his depression and offered his hand out to her as flowers bloomed behind him. "Then let me teach you more, my pupil."

"Boss?" Hikaru questioned.

"Call me King!" Tamaki corrected proudly.

"You can teach him all the basics of hosting," Hikaru began.

"But it's pointless if he doesn't look the part." Kaoru finished as he circled Haruhi to face her and took off her glasses. "He's not exactly host club material. Maybe if we took off his glasses it would help." The twins eyes suddenly widened in surprise as they stared at her face.

"Hey! I need those!" Haruhi argued. "I used to have contacts, but I lost them."

Kaname placed his plate on the table and rose to stand nearby and watch over her, Honey and Mori following curiously behind. Suddenly, the ground shook as Tamaki ran and pushed his way in between the twins to gaze at Haruhi in astonishment.

"Hikaru, Kaoru!" he summoned them with a snap of his fingers.

"**Got it!"** the twins saluted in understanding before they grabbed her arms.

"Huh? W-what..?" Haruhi exclaimed in confusion as they began to pull her away. Kaname frowned, already knowing what was happening, and took a step to stop them. A firm grip on his wrist held him back.

"He'ill be fine," Mori assured.

Kaname's frown deepened in annoyance, but he stayed put. _'They better not turn into perverts when they find out she's a girl.'_

"Kyoya! My hairslylist," Tamaki ordered, although the 'Shadow King' was already halfway through dialing the phone number.

"Mori, go to the eyes doctor and get some contact lenses." He pointed to the indifferent male. Mori released Kaname's wrist before running out of the room to get what was requested.

"What about me Tama-chan?" Honey asked eagerly with wide eyes as flowers danced around him.

"Honey-sempai! You-" Tamaki began.

"Hai?" Honey encouraged excitedly.

"Go have some cake." That immediately sent the diminutive male to sit at a small table with his bunny.

"It's just us, Usa-chan." Honey mumbled depressingly. "Everyone else says they're too busy." The sound of a moving chair caused him to look up at Kaname as he silently sat next to him at the table. "You'll eat cake with me?" Honey asked with a wide smile, his earlier mood gone. Kaname nodded with a small smile as Honey gave him a plate of cake.

* * *

><p>The host members stood around as they waited for Haruhi to finish her transformation. Kaname could guess from the knowing look the twins held that they had realized Haruhi was a female.<p>

"Sempai?" Haruhi inquired unsurely.

"Aren't you done changing yet?" Tamaki asked. The curtain was pulled back to reveal a well dressed and groomed Haruhi in the male uniform.

"Are you sure it's ok for me to wear this?" Haruhi questioned them.

"You're as pretty as a girl!" Tamaki exclaimed as tears of delight fell down his face.

"Haru-chan, you look so cute!" Honey said in awe. Kaname and Mori nodded in silent agreement.

"If we had known this was how you really looked," Hikaru said.

"We would have helped you out sooner," Kaoru finished

"Who knows? Maybe he'll draw in some customers." Kyoya remarked with a smirk.

"That's just what I was thinking!" Tamaki proclaimed smugly. The hosts sweatdropped, all knowing it was bullcrap. Tamaki pointed at Haruhi as he spoke. "Our errand boy is moving up the ranks. Starting today, you are officially a member of the Host Club. I will personally train you to be a first rate host. If you and Kaname get one hundred customers to request your services, we will completely forget all about you eight million yen debt."

"A host?" Haruhi said before sighing in defeat. Kaname sighed as well, though he guessed he could tolerate all the stupidity with Haruhi by his side.

* * *

><p>Kaname feigned sleep as he lay across one of the large couches, his hands folded behind his head as a makeshift pillow, while his customers sat in various seats around him. The dandelions were satisfied to simply admire him from afar after he had said he liked his personal space. Apparently they would do anything to please him. After they had noticed his love for cake, they brought boxes full of various pastries. He had given half of them to Honey since the poor boy had practically been drooling over the large amount of sweets. Without opening his eyes, he reached out and grabbed a random plate from the table and settled it on his stomach, ignoring the delighted squeals of the females.<p>

"You know you should be entertaining your guests instead of gorging yourself," a cool voice said.

Kaname didn't have to open his eyes to know it was Kyoya as he took a delicate nibble of the cake. He shrugged uncaringly in response, opening a single eye to look at him in amusement when he felt his aura project his annoyance as he walked away. '_He'll get over once he sees his profits rising,'_ he thought as he lazily glanced at the large group of females watching him. They cried out in pure joy at being acknowledged by him and began talking animatedly amongst themselves. He paused to listen as Haruhi told her customers a story of her life. He closed his eyes once more, knowing from experience the pain of losing a parent at a young age.

"How are they so popular?" he heard Tamaki questioned dully.

"Haruhi is a natural," Hikaru observed.

"While Kaname has that mysterious edge," Kaoru added. **"No training needed."** They concluded, making Tamaki sulk.

"Have you forgotten about me?" a female voice said with a sarcastic undertone.

"Of course not!" Tamaki immediately denied. "I'm sorry, princess. I am just concerned with our newest hosts."

"Well that's obvious. You sure have been keeping an eye on them," she remarked.

"I have to. I'm training them to be a gentleman like me." Tamaki then snapped his fingers. "Kaname, Haruhi. Come here for minute."

Kaname's brow twitched in irritation. _'Lucky he's Hiroki's reincarnation, for I do not like to be snapped at like a lap dog.'_ Ignoring his thoughts, he rose from the couch and leisurely strolled over to stand by Haruhi. He noticed the same self-centered female sitting next to Tamaki stiffen in fear and completely avoid any eye contact.

"What's up?" Haruhi inquired.

"I'd like you two to meet someone," Tamaki motioned to the female beside him. "This is my regular guest, Princess Ayanokoji." Kaname noticed the look of recognition flash in Haruhi's face as she looked at the female.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Haruhi greeted with a forced smile. Kaname on the other hand said nothing as he stared at the girl, making her squirm uncomfortably in her seat.

"That was so cute!" Tamaki cried in joy as he jumped out of his seat and rapidly began twirling Haruhi in a tight embrace.

"Mori-sempai! Help me!" Haruhi called to the first person she could see in her dizzying haze. Mori quickly stood from his seat and took the small female out of the blonde's grip.

"Mori-sempai, you didn't have to go that far," Tamaki said in surprise as the indifferent male set Haruhi down.

"You know." Mori turned to the raven haired male standing next to him with a knowing gleam in his eye. Mori nodded; surprised to know Haruhi had actually been a girl. He glanced at his friend when he heard him growl lightly and followed his line of sight to the female watching Tamaki and Haruhi jealously.

"Hn..." He had a bad feeling about this. He already saw how protective Kaname is of the disguised female.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>The Next Day<em>

Kaname gazed questioningly throughout the music room as he stood from his seat on the couch. He had taken a small nap to drown out the incessant chatting of the dandelions when the calming scent of jasmine and green tea suddenly began to disappear. Her scent was still heavily in the room but he could tell she currently wasn't in it. Puzzled by her disappearance, he began following her natural aroma out of room, ignoring the curious eyes of the hosts and their customers.

As he continued to walk down the hallway, he casually glanced out of a window, only to stop short as he saw Haruhi begin taking off her shoes to gather her belongings floating in the fountain. He grit his teeth in anger and took off only as fast as humanly possible. He could feel a few humans in the nearby area and didn't want to risk being discovered. He came to an abrupt stop when he heard the faint sound of footsteps heading in his direction. Soon Princess Ayanokoji came around the corner with a pleased smile settled on her face.

Narrowing his eyes, Kaname casually leaned against the wall as the female continued walking in his direction. She was too content to even notice his presence. When she was almost in front of him, he finally spoke.

"You threw her bag in the fountain," he stated coldly, making the female jump in surprise. She turned towards the sound of his voice, her eyes growing wide in alarm and began backing away as he took slow steps towards her. She gulped in fear when her back hit the wall with him standing directly in front of her. A squeak left her lips when he suddenly punched the area beside her head, causing the wall to shake and crack under the force.

"I had warned you beforehand," Kaname grabbed her chin with his unused hand and sharply turned her face towards him when she tried to avoid eye contact. "Yet you purposely ignored it." He gave a small growl when he whiffed not only tremendous fear, but a subtle trace of arousal. The sound only made the scent more potent and he held his breath to avoid smelling the disgusting odor. "..." He blinked when he felt someone grab his wrist holding her face. Following the arm, he saw it was Mori standing with a slightly worried expression.

"Don't hurt her." Kaname's eyes narrowed, wanting to retaliate. He wouldn't kill the girl, she was human, but he could at least punish her. Maybe he was being extreme but he hates it when someone deliberately disobeys him, and worse, when they threaten a pack member.

Mori slowly pulled the angered male away from the dazed girl, taking note of the medium sized crater on the wall created by Kaname. The female was left to slide down the wall as small pants left her mouth. He had noticed after Haruhi disappeared that Kaname seemed to be looking for her and had followed after him. He was now glad he did or Kaname would have seriously hurt the female judging by the look in his eyes. Mori held a firm grip on his wrist as he silently began leading the tense male back towards the club.

"Takashi! Kame-chan! I thought you left me alone!" Honey shouted as he ran towards them when he saw them enter the room. Honey blinked in confusion when he noticed the usually impassive Kaname was glaring at the ground.

"Are you ok, Kame-chan?" Honey asked worriedly.

Kaname gave a stiff nod as he pulled away from Mori and began walking back to where Haruhi was sitting, attempting to squeeze all the water out of her belongings. Honey's eyes widened in realization as he made the connection and looked at the indifferent male for confirmation. Mori nodded, already knowing he had figured it out. _'Kame-chan must be really mad at Princess Ayanokoji.' _

"Let me help." Haruhi blinked in surprise as Kaname sat next to her.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. "Most of it is already ruined though," she sighed as she spread out her books on the table to air dry. Kaname took her bag and begin wringing any leftover water from it. '_If that female continues to be a menace, I'll have to pay the stupid debt to avoid beating her.'_

* * *

><p>Kaname sat on a soft couch with Honey and Mori on either side of him. His relaxed posture contradicted with the calculative look in his eyes as they scrutinized every movement the two females made at the small table across the room, his heightened hearing catching every word said between them. After Princess Ayanokoji had requested Haruhi, Mori and Honey had dragged the tense male to sit in their stationed area.<p>

"Here, Kame-chan," Honey smiled as he offered him some cake in hopes of distracting him.

"… Thanks," he murmured as he took the plate. He sighed deeply, his eyes falling shut, as the taste of vanilla hit his taste buds.

A loud crash broke his momentary peace, his eyes snapping open to see a confused Haruhi on top of a screaming Ayanokoji. He stood with a growl, placing the plate on the table, intent on punishing the female for touching what was his. Two pairs of hands grabbed tightly onto his arms just as he took a step towards them. He was left to watch as the twins each dropped a pitcher of water onto the females, the room falling into a deathly silence.

"Someone get rid of her before I do," Kaname demanded when he saw no one moving, his eyes fixed on the frightened female laying under Haruhi. He took a step forward, surprising the two males holding him back as they were pulled along as well. He knew he could get away, but he didn't want to risk the chance of hurting Honey or Mori in the process. Just the female. Everyone watched as Tamaki stepped forward and hoisted the soaked Ayanokoji to her feet.

"Do something Tamaki. Haruhi just assaulted me!"

Kaname's eyes narrowed at hearing her lie, taking another step forward. Honey and Mori tightened their hold on him in response, bracing themselves by planting their feet firmly on the ground. They were surprised Kaname had such a large amount of strength.

"I'm disappointed in you." Tamaki said seriously, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "You threw Haruhi's bag into the pond, didn't you?"

"You don't know that! Do you have any proof that I did?" she hastily argued.

"You know, you're a beautiful girl." Tamaki lifted her chin to look sternly into her eyes. "But you're not classy enough to be our guest. If there's one thing I know, Haruhi is not that kind of a man."

"Why Tamaki? You idiot!" the female cried as she ran out of the room.

Kaname eyes continued to watch the female, instinct demanding he follow after her. He blinked, his arms going limp as a large, reassuring hand was placed on his head. His eyes dimmed in sad remembrance as the hand gently ruffled his hair in praise for calming down, for Kouga had often did the same in the past.

"Are you alright now, Kame-chan?" Honey asked as they released their hold on him.

"Hai…" Mori and Honey blinked in surprise when they heard his voice. It sounded so void and… sad. They watched as Kaname ignored everything to walk towards the large window to stare out into the scenery.

'_If Hiroki's reincarnation is here in this era, then those who were killed all those years ago must be as well,'_ Kaname thought as he looked up at the sky. He heard what Tamaki said about changing the quota to one thousand requests, but he didn't care for that. He could deal with the dandelions for Haruhi's sake and to be close to Tamaki. It was only a matter of time before he remembered his past life and demanded answers. _'If I am fated to meet them all, then I will watch over them, aide them in any way I can.' _He sighed as a certain inu hanyou came to mind. _'If we meet again, then it will be as strangers. It will mean nothing. He is the past.' _His eyes fogged over at his next thought. _'The same with my mate's soul. Kouga is dead, his reincarnation will be a completely different person, living a different life.' _His eyes slipped shut._ 'A different love...'_

"Hey, are you ok?" Kaname glanced over and spotted a worried Tamaki standing beside him.

"... Hai…"

"I know you're pretty angry about what happened. But just know she won't be coming back to bother Haruhi anymore," Tamaki assured with a smile.

"Hn… Thanks…" Kaname gave him a small, slightly strained smile before walking back to find Haruhi, leaving his troubled thoughts behind, for at least the moment.

* * *

><p>The host members stood around in the prep room, waiting for Haruhi to finish changing out of her wet uniform.<p>

"Haruhi! I brought you some fresh towels," Tamaki announced as he pulled the curtain back. He paused when he saw Haruhi taking off the buttoned up uniform shirt to reveal a spaghetti strap shirt, exposing her small, but undoubtedly, feminine chest. The curtain slipped out of his hand to once again close the changing area in his shock.

"Haruhi…? You're a girl?" Tamaki asked quietly.

"Biologically speaking, hai." Haruhi pulled back the curtain to reveal her wearing the brightly yellow female uniform. At seeing this, Tamaki finally freaked out, screaming hysterically while pulling on his hair.

"Listen sempai, I don't really care which gender I'm recognized as," Haruhi said as she fixed the ribbon around her neck. "In my opinion, it's more important for a person to be recognized for who they are rather than for what sex they are." Kaname hummed in amusement from his position behind Tamaki and walked to stand beside Haruhi. He placed a hand on her head and lightly ran it through her hair.

"That's my girl." Haruhi smiled widely up at her friend in response.

"Well isn't this an interesting development," Kyoya remarked from their right as he pushed his glasses up with his index finger. It was apparent to everyone that Kaname and Kyoya knew her true gender from the start.

**"This is going to be fun,"** the twins looked at each other with mischievous smirks from their left. Honey smiled cutely while Mori looked unsurprised. It seems they each had figured out the truth on their own.

"You know, I have to say sempai. I thought you were pretty cool earlier." Haruhi complimented the shocked blonde. Tamaki blinked out of his state with an embarrassed blush as he gazed at Haruhi. His newly found daughter was just so cute!

"Being fussed over by a bunch of girls might not be that bad. I wonder how I'm going to pull it off," Haruhi hummed in thought. "I've got it!" she lightly pounded her fist into her hand. "I'll just call everyone dude and bro." She gave an adorable laugh. Kaname smiled down at his charge. Being near her will definitely make life interesting.

* * *

><p><strong>Review !<strong>

***Chibi Taisho**


	5. The Dreaded Job Of A Host

**Disclaimer: ** I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

_**Past Life Memories**  
><em>

* * *

><p>Kaname closed his eyes as he quietly sat on a chair in the library. On the table in front of him sat Haruhi with a stack of books surrounding her as she attempted to finish an essay. He had already completed his own homework and was now waiting patiently for her to be done. Apparently, she was lacking in her studies as a result of being forced to join the host club. She was a smart girl though, so he knew she could handle the schoolwork and entertain dandelions on the side.<p>

"Finished," Haruhi sighed in relief as she closed a book.

Kaname stood and began returning the books to their proper shelves as she organized her papers. When he returned to the table, he was not expecting to hastily be pulled out of the library by an anxious Haruhi.

"Why are we rushing?" Kaname asked curiously as he took his bag from her free arm while Haruhi continued to pull him along.

"We're going to be late for the Host Club," she responded as they turned a corner.

"And?" Kaname lifted a brow, completely unconcerned.

"We'll never hear the end of it if we are. But it looks like we will be late since we only have two minutes left and the music room is on the other side of the school." she grumbled as she looked at her wrist watch. She squeaked in surprise when she was suddenly lifted into the air.

"No we won't."

Kaname settled Haruhi securely in his arms before breaking out into a fast run. Haruhi held onto him tightly as she watched him successfully weave in and out of the mass of students and even take graceful jumps over giant crowds. There were many students who stopped and stared at his show of skill to give sounds of awe or squeals of delight before he disappeared down a different hallway as fast as he appeared. Kaname didn't really care to be tardy for the club but knew it was important to Haruhi. When he saw the club door, he shifted her body to be held by his left arm as he used his right to turn the knob and enter the room.

"Wow, you sure are fast Kaname-kun," Haruhi said, slightly breathless as he gently set her on her feet.

"**Welcome!" **The two turned and noticed the room had been changed into a tropical paradise with authentic plants and exotic animals. Even the hosts' attire fit in with the setting.

"**You finally made it you two! You're so late,"** the twins said. Kaname gazed at the Toucan that suddenly landed on Haruhi's head. The bird stared back, almost appearing curious.

"No we're not. We're right on time." Haruhi disagreed as she looked at her watch. She then took out her calendar. "I could be wrong, but my calendar says it's still early spring." Kaname, in the meantime, ignored the conversation and held a hand out, watching as the Toucan tilted its head before hopping to perch onto his fingers.

"Huddling under a Kotatsu table, fearing the cold is nonsense!" Tamaki stated as he waved his arms dramatically while holding a giant fan and striking a pose. "And besides, the heating system we have is - the best!"

"Do you have a problem with the way we run our club, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked with a smirk. "Be careful what you say, since you still owe us eight million yen."

A coconut suddenly fell and knocked him on the head. Grimacing, he rubbed the sore spot, ignoring the other hosts' laughter as he gazed up at the tree standing over him. Meanwhile, Kaname held a pleased smirk as he pet the Toucan resting on his hand. Honey giggled while Mori smiled as he ran around the room, for they had been the only ones to notice Kaname sharply throw a pen to cut the coconut from its hanging spot.

"Gentlemen don't bundle up in bulky clothing," Tamaki said as he opened up the giant fan, flower petals falling gently behind him for effect. "It may be chilly out in the real world. But here in the Host Club, we want to surprise our chilly little kittens with a warm tropical paradise." The twins held one another close in the background while Mori continued to run around with Honey laughing joyfully on his shoulders.

"Ah~!" Tamaki sighed happily as he pulled Haruhi next to him and threw an arm around her shoulders. "We turned this place into a nirvana of everlasting summer!" He threw his free hand up into the air at his declaration.

"That's funny, because I feel a massive chill right now," Haruhi mumbled dismally from beside the over excited blonde. Kaname walked away, Toucan in hand, to search for his stationed area before the bothersome customers arrived.

* * *

><p>Kaname leaned against the base of the tree as he watched the humans from his spot on a high branch. He had come up here to get away from the incessant chatting of the females and the annoying badgering from the hosts. It worked to an extent. He could still hear every word the females spoke, but was able to tune it out into low murmurs. The members had given up on convincing him to change into a costume after they saw he remained unmoved by even Kyoya's threat to raise the debt. Kaname had merely raised a brow and stated he would in turn burn his precious black book and destroy his laptop before his eyes. Needless to say, Kyoya had left the male alone, leaving the remaining members staring at the impassive man with shocked eyes.<p>

"AHHHH! There's a snake on my leg!"

Kaname winced at the high pitched shrill and looked below to see all his customers hiding behind nearby trees, staring in horror at a girl sitting frozen in a chair with a Burmese Python wrapped lazily around her leg.

"Calm down, my beautiful angel," Tamaki soothed as he appeared in front of the distraught female. "I will save you from the terrifying creature!" He bent down, his hand reaching out to grab the reptiles head. The snake hissed loudly, making everyone jump at the sound.

"AH! IT TRIED TO BITE ME!" Tamaki wailed as he held his hand to his chest.

"Calm down, sempai. It didn't really bite you," Haruhi said, attempting to calm the blonde.

"**What a way to show your bravery, boss,"** the twins laughed from behind him.

"IF YOU'RE SO BRAVE, WHY DON'T YOU DO IT!" he yelled, his face red with embarrassment.

"No way," Hikaru stated, holding his hands out in front of him while shaking his head.

"We're not touching that thing," Kaoru agreed in the same position. Kaname sighed in exasperation and noticed the scene was causing all the rest of the room's occupants to come investigate.

"I was told the animals were all incredibly docile," Kyoya commented as he walked over to join the growing crowd.

"Do you think the snake is mad?" Honey asked curiously as the snake continued hissing.

"I don't know." Mori replied.

"To be honest, you guys should have known this would happen," Haruhi remarked in thought.

"ARE YOU SAYING THIS IS OUR FAULTS?" Tamaki screamed in shock at the unaffected girl while pointing at the snake.

"To be honest, hai." She answered plainly, making most of the hosts blanch. "I mean what else did you expect would happen when you put a Burmese Python and a group of fainthearted girls together in one room."

"WILL SOMEONE JUST GET THIS SNAKE OFF OF ME!" the female customer suddenly screamed as tears of panic fell from her eyes.

"For Kami's sake," Kaname growled out in agitation, causing the group to look up at his voice. He was unable to ignore the yelling anymore. He stood up from his seat on the tree and stepped off the branch, ignoring the gasps of shock and horror. He twisted his body in the air, performing a well practiced flip and landed elegantly on his feet. The awed crowd parted to allow him to walk into the center where the weeping female still sat.

"Hm…" Kaname examined the snake curled sluggishly around the female's leg. Without hesitation, he uncurled the snake and lifted the large reptile into his arms.

"B-but…! How come it didn't bite?" Tamaki asked in astonishment.

"You wanted it to bite me?" Kaname asked in amusement as he watched the snake wound loosely around his left arm and lift its head to lie on his shoulder.

"N-No! Of course not!" he immediately denied, frantically waving his hands in front of himself.

"But it hissed, so how come it didn't bite?" Honey questioned curiously. Kaname pointed at a rather large bulge in the middle of the python.

"That's an animal he ate, right?" Haruhi guessed. Kaname nodded.

"Sometimes snakes hiss when they're digesting food," Kaname clarified as the snake slid behind his head and rested its satisfied body across his shoulders.

"**But don't they make that sound when they're pissed?" **the twins asked as they came to get a closer look at the python.

"Usually."

"And what would you have done if it indeed wanted to attack you?" Kyoya asked while he pushed his glasses up with his index finger.

"Killed it," he replied simply with a careless shrug.

"**AHHHHHH~!**" a large crowd of females screamed a few steps away.

"Such bravery!"

"So smart!"

"He's so confident!"

"Y-you saved me, Kaname-sama…" the female who the snake had unintentionally been harassing whispered, stars forming in her eyes as she gazed at her savior. Kaname shrugged indifferently and went to nearby tree to release the snake.

"Now that this is all over," Kyoya announced, catching everyone's attention. "Let us all return to our previous stations. The day is not over and the hosts still wish to spend time with our beautiful guests in our tropical paradise." The females gushed and obediently left, already forgetting their earlier fright. "Haruhi, if you would be so kind as to give our customers fresh drinks," he said politely as he pointed to a small hut that held a counter and a large shelf full of elegant glasses.

"Sure." Haruhi walked over to the counter and found trays already filled with drinks. As she grasped one, a hand reached out and grabbed the one next to it. She looked up and smiled at Kaname, knowing he was going to help her. He gave a small smile in return, before turning with his tray in hand to walk over to the Hitachiin twins as Haruhi went to Tamaki.

"Even as a Balinese king, I am no more than a slave before my goddess. I kneel before you and pledge my loyalty," Tamaki spoke softly to one of his customers. The females practically ate up his exaggerated drivel considering their faces were completely red and their eyes had turned into hearts. Haruhi's expression deadpanned at the scene as she placed the drinks on the table and began to walk away. "I almost forgot to mention that next week, the Ouran Host Club is sponsoring a party."

"A party?" Haruhi mumbled to herself.

"What kind of party is it going to be? Will it be formal?"

Haruhi looked over to the female's voice and noticed they were the Hitachiin twins' customers. She watched in amusement as Kaname completely ignored them all as he set new drinks on their table, even the few of the twin's blushing customers that attempted to talk to him.

"Hai. We even rented out the school's largest hall," Hikaru replied.

"It's the perfect place for dancing," Kaoru added. Hikaru suddenly grabbed his twin's chin and bent down close to his face to stare lovingly into his eyes. "But I'd much rather spend time with you, Kaoru."

"Don't be upset, Hikaru." Kaoru whispered. "I know exactly how you feel." Haruhi laughed as she saw Kaname's eyes betray his irritation as the females screamed in joy while hearts flew above them. She had learned how to read the expressionless male by subtle differences in his eyes or actions. She smiled at him when he strode over to her by the counter.

"They are more excited than usual," Kaname muttered in annoyance as he set his empty tray on the counter.

"Now that you mention it, they are more worked up today." Haruhi mumbled as she observed the still screaming females.

"Showing some skin proves popular with the ladies," Kyoya stated as he appeared beside them.

"So are you the one that came up with this tropical paradise idea?" Haruhi asked him as she placed her tray on the counter and grabbed a new one.

"I have no decision making authority. All of the club's policies have been set by the club's king." He answered as he wrote in his black book.

"You had nothing to do with today's theme at all?" Kaname questioned, not believing Tamaki had suddenly thought of the idea.

"I may have slipped a Bali photo book onto his desk," Kyoya replied with a smirk as he pushed his glasses up with his pointer and middle finger. Haruhi deadpanned while Kaname smirked and turned to walk towards Honey and Mori's table with a new tray of drinks. It was obvious Kyoya was the one who kept the club running efficiently.

"Ta da!" Honey shouted while presenting himself to his customers. The females blushed and gushed about how cute he was. "Hi ladies! I love these Balinese flowers! We had them flown in," he told them cheerfully.

Kaname paced over to stand next to the smaller male and began placing the drinks on the table as Mori appeared, shirtless and in costume, with a pineapple in hand.

"Takashi! Kame-chan!"

Honey climbed up Mori's tall frame and threw a flower necklace around his head. He then hopped onto Kaname's back and threw one around him as well.

"There! We match!"

The females almost feinted in bliss at the sight of the happy blonde's interactions with the two impassive hosts. Honey jumped off and landed on the ground as he continued talking animatedly with the females.

"Hm?" Mori glanced at his raven haired friend as he noticed he was gazing at the fruit in his hand. Did he want to eat it? He blinked when his steel gray eyes connected with Kaname's sapphire orbs, only for those questioning eyes to glance back at the pineapple before returning to stare into his own puzzled ones. So he did want to eat it.

Now understanding, Mori placed the fruit on an empty plate sitting on the table. Yet before Kaname could grab it, a knife swiftly cut it down the middle. Honey and their customers watched as Mori effortlessly skinned and chopped the fruit in a matter of seconds. He then presented the plate of sliced fruit to the surprised male. The females watched with baited breathes as they waited to see if the indifferent male will take the kind gesture from the taller host. Kaname blinked, still surprised he would do this for him and slowly took the plate. Using the fork settled on the plate, he pierced it through a small slice and brought it into his awaiting mouth. He gave a pleased hum as the sweet flavor hit his taste buds.

"Thanks… Takashi," Kaname gave a small smirk as he grabbed the empty tray with his free hand, before turning to return to Haruhi. Mori blushed slightly, for Kaname was the only one besides Honey who used his actual name. It was an unusual, but not unwelcome change. He sat down, ignoring his customers as they talked vigorously about the 'touching moment.'

From afar, Haruhi watched the whole scene with a smile. She had noticed her friend didn't like to act very sociable with others and was glad he was warming up to someone. She turned a welcoming smile to Kaname as he brought a chair to her table and silently sat down beside her after setting the tray containing the plate of fruit on the table. They were seated in a fairly large table considering it was known Kaname often hosted alongside Haruhi.

"Umm, Haruhi-kun? Kaname-kun?" One of their blushing customers called, catching the attention of Haruhi while as Kaname only continued to contently chew on the pieces of fruit in slow bites, his eyes closed as he completely ignored the females. "Aren't you two going to wear a tropical outfit like the other boys?"

"I'd like to see that!" a female chimed in, blushing as she glanced at an uninterested Kaname.

"Well, I uhh…" Haruhi glanced at Kaname for help, only to sigh when she realized he wasn't going to answer the girl's question. "I just don't think it's appropriate to wear anything but early spring attire. And Kaname didn't want me to be the only one out of costume so he stayed in uniform along with me."

"But we had some ready for you both," Tamaki spoke up excitedly as he presented a Balinese queen outfit and another costume that only contained a pair of dark blue pants and silver necklaces and headband. "I think you would both like them!"

"No thanks," Haruhi replied blandly for both of them, causing Tamaki to turn to stone at her immediate refusal.

"Wow Haruhi, you're really faithful to the seasons," one of their customers complimented as hearts started to appear above her.

"I think it's great that Kaname is so loyal to stand by his friend," another female said as hearts grew from her eyes.

"I hope the cherry blossoms are in full bloom on the day of the party. The two of us dancing under them, so dreamy." Another girl added as hearts grew above her head as well and she became lost in her fantasy world.

"You really think so?" Haruhi inquired curiously. She then tilted her head and gazed at them with a soft smile as sparkles of light and roses appeared behind her. "You know ladies, I think it's so cute when you dream like that." The females blushed at the compliments and gave dreamy sighs.

Haruhi blinked when something flew by her vision and looked over to see the same Toucan from earlier had landed on Kaname's shoulder.

"Hm?" Kaname paused, his fork holding a wedge of the fruit stopping an inch from his mouth as he turned his head slightly to look curiously at the bird. Without warning, the Toucan bit into the slice on his fork and swallowed the fruit piece. He glared lightly at the bird for taking his snack, before turning his head to glare playfully at Haruhi when he heard her laughter.

"What?" Haruhi blinked innocently, attempting to withhold her mirth. She went into another fit of chuckles when the Toucan ate the next slice of fruit Kaname had intended to go into his mouth. "...!" She halted in her giggles and instinctively closed her mouth around the metal utensil as a sweetly tart flavor hit her tongue. She scowled halfheartedly at a smirking Kaname as she chewed the fruit he had stuffed into her mouth to shut her up.

"**AHHH~!**" They glanced over towards the screams and noticed a large group of blushing females watching them. Some of them had even feinted, yet hearts still flew into the air from their eyes.

"I've never seen Kaname act like that!"

"He must really care about Haruhi!"

"And Haruhi must care for him too!"

Kaname sighed in frustration while Haruhi sweatdropped. The Toucan suddenly squawked and nudged Kaname's cheek with its beak, asking for more food. Giving in, he plucked a larger piece from the plate and gave it to the hungry bird.

"Excuse me." A female with short brown hair walked up to Haruhi. "I hate to interrupt, but I think it's time for the hosts to switch clients."

"Oh, gomen." Haruhi apologized as she looked through her schedule. "You must be my next appointment, Miss… uh?"

"My names Kanako. Kanako Kasugazaki." The female introduced herself. She then gently lifted Haruhi's face with her hand. "You're even cuter than I expected. I've decided from now on, you're my new favorite host."

Kaname lifted a brow when he noticed Tamaki grow completely pale at the girl's statement. The Toucan squawked again to regain his attention and happily took the offered fruit from his hand. '_The female population in this school are idiots for not noticing Haruhi is a girl. If I had known everyone was this stupid, I would have just wrapped my chest instead of an illusion.'_

* * *

><p>The host club had finally closed for the day and the members were all standing around a table, planning the club's coming party. Kyoya sat at the head of the table typing away on his laptop with Haruhi sitting on his right and Kaname standing next to her. Honey and Mori were standing beside him while the twins stood on the other side of the table. Tamaki was the only one not present in the group and instead sitting at his own smaller table near the windows with a depressed expression as he loudly slurped on a bowl of 'commoners ramen.' Throughout the entire discussion, Mori, Honey and Haruhi had noticed Kaname was standing rigid with an almost dark demeanor. Yet every time he was asked about it, he simply said not to worry about him.<p>

"Hey boss, why don't you stop eating that commoner's ramen and come help us with the party planning." Hikaru called as he turned towards the gloomy 'King.'

"Does it really bother you that Princess Kasugazaki has taken a liking to Haruhi?" Kaoru asked teasingly.

"He shouldn't be surprised. She's had the illness for a while now," Kyoya commented offhandedly as he continued to type away on his laptop. Kaname suddenly began walking over to the blonde's area, catching the attention of some of the hosts.

"What illness?" Haruhi asked as she watched her friend walk towards Tamaki.

The twins and Kyoya then began explaining to her about her host hopping, yet Mori tuned it out as he gazed worriedly at Kaname. He noticed his hand twitched when the 'Host King' gave a particularly loud slurp.

Tamaki halted in his loud eating when he felt someone grip the wrist of his hand that was holding his bowl of Ramen. He looked up and was caught off guard when he noticed Kaname eyes. Although his face still held the same neutral countenance, his blue eyes were dark with aged anger and nostalgic displeasure as he glared at the noodles.

"Please," Kaname's gripped tightened, attempting to express his distaste of Ramen to him without the use of intimidation. "Stop eating that…"

Tamaki blinked in confusion at his request. Does he hate instant noodles? Deep down he felt a sudden wave of understanding, which only served to confuse him more, but nonetheless allowed Kaname to take the bowl of food from him. He watched curiously as Kaname opened the window next to them and, to his sudden surprise, forcefully throw the bowl of noodles into the far distance. A moment later, Kaname breathed a huge sigh of relief and his body relaxed from its stiff form.

"Why do you hate Ramen?" Tamaki questioned inquisitively. He felt he should know since a part of him held such unfathomable understanding, yet mentally he couldn't comprehend it at all.

"…" Kaname patted his head encouragingly, a small smile curving his lips. "You'll know one day soon…" They were unaware of the group of hosts who had been watching the entire scene.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>They Next Day<em>

_**A little six year old boy sat in the middle of a meadow full of wildflowers of all shades and colors. He smiled happily, his violet eyes lighting up with excitement, as he began picking up one of each to make a beautiful bouquet. He brushed his dark brown hair out of his face as the wind suddenly picked up, causing the flowers to sway lightly in the breeze. He suddenly jumped in surprise when he heard a growl behind him. He looked back in fright, only to smile in relief when he saw it was three brown wolves.**_

"_**You scared me, you guys! Don't do that again," he pouted as the three wolves sat on their haunches. The one in the middle, the same one that growled before, growled once more while giving the small boy a disapproving look.**_

"_**I know I'm not supposed to go this far from the den," the boy mumbled, his head down in shame as he drew imaginary lines in the dirt with his finger. "But I wasn't gone that long!" He peeked up at them tentatively. "... Right…?" **_

_**At that moment, a resounding howl came from the distance, full of worry as it asked for an answer of their missing pup. The wolves in front of him howled back, reassuring their alpha.**_

"_**Was she really that worried…?" The boy hesitantly asked. The middle wolf nodded once. "Gomen… I just wanted to get her some flowers 'cause she was so sad and onee-chan told me one time that the prettiest flowers are right here," he confessed guiltily, lifting the the bouquet he made in his hand. **_

_**The wolves glanced at one another in surprise, an understanding gleam entering their intelligent eyes. The middle wolf then stood up and nudged the boy with his head towards his back. The boy smiled, understanding his motions, and hopped onto the wolf, making sure to hold the flowers carefully against his chest as he held onto the wolf's neck with his free hand. The wolves gave another howl, alerting they're pack that they were returning with their missing member, and ran through the meadow back into the forest. The boy giggled in glee, seeing as he always felt like he was flying when he rode on one of them. He looked up at the dimming sky as he saw the waterfall come into view, giving a wide smile when he saw a large raven wolf standing at the very peak. His hand tightened around the flowers' stems. These, he had picked just for her.**_

"**Why so gloomy boss?" **Tamaki blinked out of his thoughts at hearing the twins' question.

"It's nothing," he replied absently as he stared unseeingly out the window he was seated on. The twins shrugged at one another and left him alone.

Tamaki sighed deeply as he once again reviewed his dream. They used to only consist of bits and pieces, leaving him to scramble to attempt to put them together and comprehend their meaning when he awoke. But last night... Last night, he saw everything. _Vividly._ Yet what frustrated him most was not what the dream exposed, but instead what it still refused to show him. He was so close to seeing the face of the being, whether human or creature, that had been haunting him his entire life and it just had to cut there for him to wake up! A few times he had seen glimpses of a silhouette of a large wolf watching over him in his other dreams. Whenever that particular wolf came by, the rest of the wolves around them would always lower their head in submission, while that canine held their head high above the rest. It was obvious to him that the large creature was the alpha of the pack, yet he could never distinguish any features from the Alpha. That is, until last night, when he saw a faraway view of a raven haired wolf. At least he now knew the color of its fur. He had a gut feeling that the mysterious woman and alpha wolf were the same living being.

Tamaki shook his head and rested his elbows on his bent knees, his hands rising to grip his head. But that couldn't be! People that can turn into animals? It sounded like something straight out of a fairytale and not reality! His stomach turned and he knew what that meant. That same feeling inside was telling him it was true. To believe and accept it because he had seen it before. But that was impossible! He surely would have remembered seeing a werewolf or whatever it was. '_Youkai,'_ his mind whispered. Fine, youkai!

He sighed and released his head to lean back against the wall. Now he had a new mission. Research stories and legends of ancient Japan when it was said these creatures walked freely alongside humans. He smiled slightly as he felt a sudden feeling of elation at the prospect of learning about these mythical beings. Maybe with this research, he could figure out why that little boy in all his dreams not only looks like him, but why he feels it was him.

"Are you alright?"

Tamaki glanced away from the window to come face to face with Kaname. Another mystery in his life he was determined to discover and who he felt was the key to the entire puzzle. His deep violet eyes gazed into his clear blue orbs that contained a hidden glimmer of worry.

"I'm alright," Tamaki gave a small smile. "Just thinking a lot, that's all." He resisted the urge to twitch under Kaname's intense gaze, feeling as though he was scrutinizing his very soul. The expressionless male suddenly gave a small smile and patted his head in encouragement, before walking away towards a table full of cake. He could have sworn he saw his eyes light up momentarily with anticipation before he turned away.

"Quick, quick, slow. Quick, quick, slow." Kanako calmly instructed an unsure Haruhi the steps of the waltz as music played softly around them. Today the Host Club had remained closed in order for Haruhi to learn to dance. Tamaki had demanded Haruhi attend the party or he would reveal her true gender, resulting in her once again becoming an errand girl having to repay her debt at a slower rate. "Good, now on the third step, place your feet back together. Remember, the gentleman always leads. And always look at the lady your dancing with."

"Uh… got it," Haruhi said uncertainly.

"**Hey Kaname-sempai," **the twins said as they appeared in front of him.

"Hmm…?"

"**Do you know how to dance?"** They smirked. **"Because if you don't, then you'll have to learn along with Haruhi."**

"Who said I will be dancing?" Kaname inquired as he grabbed a plate of cake.

"**But you have to-"**

"I was only asked to attend. And that is all I will do," he stated resolutely while stabbing a fork into his treat.

"**You're no fun," **they pouted, before leaving to find something else to entertain themselves with.

Kaname turned back towards the 'dance practice area' and watched in amusement at how Mori and Honey were 'dancing.' The taller male was spinning the small blonde in quick circles as he held tightly onto his small wrists. Honey was laughing merrily, his body flying parallel to the ground. He glanced back at Haruhi when he heard her give a small shout in surprise followed by a thump of crashing bodies and found Haruhi on top of the female on the floor.

"Gomenasai, Kasugazaki-san!" Haruhi quickly apologized with an embarrassed blush. When she attempted to get off the girl, Kanako wrapped her arms around the disguised female's neck to bring her closer.

"It's ok, Haruhi." Kanako said softly.

Kaname shook his head around a forkful of cake. Is no one intelligent enough to realize Haruhi is in fact a female? From the corner of his eye, he glanced back at Tamaki. _'It's happening faster than I anticipated. One can only hope he'll accept everything. His past and his future …'_

"Thank you so much for allowing me to practice with you," Haruhi's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "I really appreciate it." She was currently standing near a seated Kanako at a table.

"No problem. I heard you weren't seeing any customers today so you could practice dancing," she answered with a smile as she placed her elbows on the table in front of her and rested her chin on her laced fingers. "I'm glad I got to spend this time alone with you."

"Uh…" Haruhi didn't know how to respond to her statement.

"Oh my," Kanako breathed as she gently lifted her tea cup. "This is a new tea set. It's Ginori."

"Ginori?" Haruhi repeated, obviously having no idea what she was saying.

"You have a keen eye, mademoiselle." Kyoya complimented as he appeared behind her. "In fact, we just received them yesterday. We decided it was time for the club to upgrade its tea sets."

"I see. What a pretty color," she commented with a soft smile. "Lovely…" Kaname narrowed his eyes, pausing mid bite, to gaze at her face. He knew that look _very_ well. He noticed Tamaki had also caught her expression.

"You must really be into table wear," Haruhi remarked pleasantly.

"N-not really! O-of course not!" she quickly denied, an embarrassed blush growing on her face.

"Hello…?" A male unexpectedly opened the door and walked in, holding a yellow box. He was wearing the school uniform, except in place of the blue blazer he wore a yellow sweater. "I'm here with the new tea set you ordered."

"Ah, thank you very much." Kyoya walked towards the male. "Every item you've chosen for us has been extremely popular with the ladies. I'm quite impressed."

"Well that's good to hear," the unknown male smiled bashfully at the compliment.

"Do you sell them?" Haruhi asked as she walked towards the male as well, leaving an unusually still and quiet Kanako sitting at the table.

"No, I'm just a regular student," he answered as he handed her the yellow box. "Can't you tell from the uniform?" He joked

"Oh Haruhi, you're so funny!" Kanako laughed almost forcefully from her seat, catching the attention of the three. "I can't blame you for not knowing. I mean, he doesn't look like an heir to a first class company."

"First class company?" Haruhi repeated.

"His family's business," Kyoya informed her. "The Suzushima Trading Company deals primarily in the importing of table wear. They currently have one of the top marking shares in the country, third in line after Taisho Corporation and Ookami Industries."

Kaname hummed in thought, remembering that Sesshomaru had employed their services a few times for exclusive events and special occasions. He had said they were 'acceptable enough for his taste.' He was known as a cold, calculating businessman and when his 'compliment' was publicized, many wealthy individuals had jumped at the chance to invest or pay for their services themselves. That had happened over ninety seven years ago in one of their 'past lives.'

"Wow…" Haruhi breathed in awe while gazing at the yellow box that was proudly labeled with the male's family name. She glanced up and finally noticed the longing looks the male and Kanako were giving one another. Kaname stood from his seat, his plate of cake in hand, and calmly began walking towards the seated female.

"Aren't you leaving next month to study abroad in England?" Kyoya inquired.

"Hai… I am. Well, I better go now." The male then left, but not before giving Kanako one final glance. Kanako's face gained a heartbroken expression as she gazed sadly at her tea cup and therefore did not see when Tamaki appeared on her left, leaning on the table with his left arm while Kaname stood on her right, calmly eating a slice of cake.

"So, are you enjoying the Host Club?" Tamaki nonchalantly asked, snapping Kanako out of her daze.

"You love one another," Kaname stated bluntly as he casually broke a small nibble of the cake off with his fork. Kanako stiffened in her seat, her head shooting up to look at him in alarm. "You both are only hurting yourselves with this charade."

"I did get the feeling you two were kind of close," Haruhi agreed.

"A-ah, d-don't be ridiculous, Kaname!" Kanako frantically denied with a nervous laugh. "We hardly even know each other! Now if you'll please excuse me, take care, everyone." She said as she hurriedly walked out of the room.

"Haru-chan!" Honey yelled enthusiastically, catching Haruhi by surprise when he jumped onto her back. "Guess what? They do know each other! Kasuga-chan is Suzushima's fiancée!"

"Kyoya, how long have you known?" Tamaki asked.

"About them being engaged?" He questioned as he skillfully opened his black book with a flip of his hand. "As you know, I conduct general searches on all our customers. The two were childhood friends and their engagement was arranged by their parents. I didn't think this information would benefit us, so I disregarded it."

"I see..." Tamaki hummed.

"Tohru Suzushima," he began listing off his credentials. "Outstanding grades, fair social status. Ordinary appearance, but reliable. His only setbacks are-" The twins appeared on either side of him to finish his sentence.

"He doesn't have a strong presence," Hikaru said.

"And he's cowardly," Kaoru added.

"In other words, he's boring." Kyoya stated frankly while snapping his book shut.

"Rather cruel, don't you agree?" Kaname mumbled. Haruhi nodded in agreement, a sweatdrop forming on her head. It made him begin to imagine what these males truly thought of him. Then again, most of his observations for some of these males were not the best either.

"Suzushima is a good boy, right?" Honey defended the boy from his perch on Mori's shoulders.

"Mhmm…" Mori hummed indifferently, though it was hard to decipher if it was in agreement with his statement or to appease the smaller male.

"Alright then," Tamaki announced. "Let's work on our strategy."

"**Which one?"** all but Kaname and Mori questioned simultaneously.

"Men, it is our duty as members of the elite Ouran Host Club to make every girl happy!" Tamaki proclaimed seriously as sparkles flew around him. Kaname sighed exasperatedly. _'I should have just paid the stupid debt…'_

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>One Week Later<em>

"It is so good to see you here tonight, my little lambs." Tamaki declared from his position atop the grand stairway. "The Ouran Host Club would like to bid you - welcome." He bowed as the chandeliers around the ballroom lit. The large crowds of females applauded, delighted as the live orchestra began to play softly. In a line along the steps under Tamaki, the rest of the formally clothed Hosts rose from their bowed positions. Even Kaname had given a small bow in his place beside Mori. Simply because he acts coldly to others did not mean he didn't have proper etiquette.

"As always ladies, the Ouran Host Club members are here for your entertainment," Kyoya announced with a pleasant smile, his arms wide in a welcoming gesture, from his position at the center of the line of hosts. "So we invite you to dance until your heart's content. Based on your dancing skills, one lucky young lady will be chosen as tonight's queen. Her reward will be a passionate kiss on the cheek - from our King."

"Good luck to you," Tamaki winked at them with a charming smile as roses and sparks of light surrounded him. "My darlings…"

"**AHHHH~!" **The girls gave screams of delight, some even feinted, and the room became filled with floating hearts.

"**Haruhi, show some enthusiasm." **The twins told a slumped Haruhi. It was obvious by her depressed expression that she did not wish to be there.

"Gomen, but I'm not used to this kind of thing," she confessed. "I've only gone to festivals in my neighborhood park."

"I don't know if you can consider that a party or not…" Kyoya remarked. "Since you're here, you might as well get something to eat. We've got quite a spread."

"A spread? You mean like…" she began to ask, an excited blush beginning to grow on her face. "ootoro…?"

"**Ootoro!"** Everyone but Kaname repeated, their forms white with shock, while Kyoya's pen suddenly snapped from the added pressure. Tamaki suddenly jumped over the balcony from his position atop the stairway to land beside them.

'_Nice…' _Kaname observed his graceful movements approvingly. '_It seems living wealthy didn't leave him entirely unfit…'_

"Get some ootoro immediately!" Tamaki ordered as he pointed at Kyoya. The analyst was already on the phone, ordering the dish. The twins enveloped a completely scarlet Haruhi in a comforting hug.

"**Aww, you poor thing."** They whispered quietly in pity as they rubbed their cheeks onto hers. "**You poor little thing…"**

Kaname couldn't help but smirk at the scene. For one moment, being a host became tolerable.

* * *

><p>'<em>I take it back…' <em>Kaname thought as he leaned against a support beam in the ballroom alongside Haruhi. The rest of the hosts were out on the dance floor entertaining their guests. A few females had grown the courage to ask him for a dance but he declined. That didn't deter them though, instead resulting in making them watch him with lovesick eyes, mumbling dreamily about their 'captivatingly cool Kaname-sama.' He had even spotted a few shy girls giving an oblivious Haruhi longing glances from across the room.

"Hello, Haruhi." Kanako greeted as she appeared beside them. "I've been looking for you. Do you think I could have the next dance?"

"Of course," Haruhi smiled and extended her hand out. Kanako smiled and placed her hand in her awaiting palm, allowing Haruhi to lead her onto the dance floor.

Kaname hummed, it seems it was time to begin the first phase of the plan. His eyes scanned the dance floor and easily spotted Mori's tall frame. The impassive male looked up from his dancing partner, feeling his gaze, and followed where Kaname motioned towards with his eyes. Now understanding, they nodded slightly at one another. At once, they dashed forward and lifted Haruhi on either side before running out of the room. Honey jumped onto Mori as they darted out into the hallway, not wanting to be left out of the plan. Behind them, they left a confused Kanako, believing Haruhi had just been kidnapped before her eyes. Tamaki, in the meantime, had remained in the room to entertain the crowd of females.

Once out into the hallway, Mori released his grip on the disguised female, allowing Kaname to lift her comfortingly in his arms.

"We didn't hurt you, did we?" Kaname questioned as they quickly strode to the designated room. Mori opened the door for them to where all the rest of the awaiting hosts were.

"There she is!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"No, you guys just caught me by surprise." Haruhi assured Kaname as he gently set her on her feet.

"Here," Hikaru shoved a wrapped package into her arms. "Go get changed."

"Hai!" Honey cheered and pushed her behind the curtains.

"An accident at the end of the night will be thrilling," Kyoya commented. Honey had flowers dancing around him while the twins gave mischievous smirks. It seems the Hitachiin brothers already had something planned. "Remember Haruhi, there are only twenty minutes until the party's climax. Suzushima-san is waiting in the classroom across the hall." There was a shuffling of clothing before Haruhi pulled the curtain back, wearing a dress and wig. The twins immediately pulled the girl to sit in a chair and began applying makeup to her face.

"I find your true sexualities questionable," Kaname murmured teasingly as he eyed the large amount of makeup laying on the small stand beside them.

"**This is the boss' strategy, not ours." **They grumbled as they applied blush on her cheeks.

"Doesn't explain how you two are expertly handling those," he remarked as he gazed meaningfully at the brushes in their hands. His lips twitched up a fraction when they only stuck their tongues out at him in retaliation. He didn't care about their sexual preferences, he had a kitsune son afterall, he was just bored and it was just fun to mess with them.

"Gentlemen, what are you doing?" Tamaki shouted as he suddenly opened the door. "The guests are waiting!" He paused as he saw Haruhi fully dressed.

"**So what do you think?"** the twins inquired, holding their heads high with proud smirks.

"You look so cute!" Honey exclaimed in awe. Kaname watched in amusement as Haruhi began walking awkwardly in her low heals.

"My face feels heavy and it's hard to walk in these," she grumbled as she walked out of the room.

"Make sure to ask him how he feels!" Honey shouted from beside Mori.

"**And good luck, Haruhi!"** the twins called out to her, before they turned and walked back towards the ballroom.

"I have the most adorable daughter!" Tamaki beamed proudly.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kaname inquired. Tamaki blinked in confusion, causing Kaname to sigh inaudibly. "Kanako?"

"Oh! Right," he gave an embarrassed blush and turned to find the female.

"Now what?" Kaname asked as he began walking back towards the ballroom.

"We wait," Mori replied.

"Soon Kasauga-chan and Suzushima will tell each other they're feelings and they'll live happily ever after!" Honey said happily as he skipped down the hallway in front of them.

"If only my life had been that simple…" Kaname muttered softly to himself as he gazed out the window on his left, bittersweet memories coming to the forefront of his mind. He was unaware that Mori had in fact heard what he said and was gazing at him inquisitively, yet said nothing. They walked in a comfortable silence towards where there was a large balcony overlooking the school grounds. Honey giggled cutely and entertained himself with catching stray cherry blossom midair.

Kaname looked towards the right when he heard running, and the wind picked up, bringing with it the faint scent of tears. It was Kanako. She was too far away for Mori or Honey to notice yet. He watched with slightly empathetic eyes as she continued running, unaware of the male who was desperately attempting to catch up with her. He blinked when he felt a large hand placed on his head.

"You seem upset," Mori stated.

"And how can you tell?" Kaname inquired calmly, continuing to watch the couple run closer.

"You're quieter than usual," Mori ruffled his head gently. "And your eyes show your feelings." Kaname glanced at the taller male in surprise.

"Hmm…" he gave a small smirk. "Then you must have been watching me rather closely..." He watched in amusement as Mori's face gained a faint blush at the implication and retracted his hand to needlessly fuss over his bowtie.

At that moment, the doors flew open, allowing the host and all the females to walk out. The girls gave delighted sighs as they watched the cherry blossoms dance in the breeze. Spotlights came on to shine onto Tohru, who had finally caught up to Kanako, and were now standing below.

"Ladies and gentleman, it is now time to begin the final dance of today's festivities," Tamaki announced, surrounded by all of the hosts. Kaname noticed the twins were giving him sly glances while each ate a banana. He had a bad feeling about them at the moment. "The last waltz of the night has been chosen by the Host Club for –" he motioned towards the surprised couple below. "This couple…"

Tohru turned towards Kanako, seeming to gather courage for what he was about to do, and bowed softly while extending his hand out. "May I have this dance?"

There was a silent moment where Kanako appeared shocked by his request before she smiled tenderly and gently grabbed his hand. "Hai…" They began dancing, gazing into one another's eyes, to the soft music. Kaname sighed inaudibly as he heard they're proclamation of love and marriage.

"Ah~" Tamaki breathed in relief, his arms up in a joyful gesture. "May this awkward couple be forever blessed!"

"And now we'll announce the queen of the ball!" Hikaru said, his voice broadcasted by a microphone, as he carelessly threw away his banana peel.

"Congratulations, Princess Kanako Kasugazaki!" Kaoru stated through his own microphone, haphazardly throwing his banana peel as well. The crowd applauded while Kanako blinked in surprise before she gave a small smile.

"And for her reward; A kiss on the cheek from the king!" Hikaru continued.

"You ready?" Tamaki hummed while grabbing his chin.

"Kaname Takahashi will stand in for our king!" Kaoru quickly added, causing Tamaki to gape at them in shock.

"…" Kaname only blinked and glanced at them in surprise, not noticing Mori stiffen slightly at the statement.

"**Kyoya did say that a little accident towards the end of the night might make it more thrilling for everyone," **they spoke with devious smirks. Kaname narrowed his eyes at them. After raising a kit for five hundred years, he knew what they actually meant: revenge for teasing them earlier.

"You planned this…" Kaname stated calmly, analyzing them with calculative eyes.

"**Well~" **they shrugged as they threw their arms around each other's shoulders.

"It was originally going to be Haruhi," Hikaru confessed, making said girl pale.

"But we decided last minute…" Kaoru began. They smirked mischievously towards him. **"That you will make a better replacement."**

"..." Kaname gazed intensely at them, making them begin to fidget in their place. He caught them off guard by giving a small grin.

"Very well…" he began walking towards the stairs. "But just so you know…" he paused momentarily and gazed back at them. "This will not go unpunished…" He declared before continuing down the steps. The twins hid in fright behind a rigid Mori at seeing the promising, almost sadistic gleam, in his eyes.

"I do believe you both just gave him an invitation to bring you bodily harm," Kyoya smirked at their blanched forms while pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

"Hey~" Honey tilted his head cutely. "You don't think this is Kame-chan's first kiss? I mean, I've never seen him pay attention to any girls or boys so he's probably never liked anyone enough to go after someone." Most of the hosts looked at the indifferent host calmly walking towards Kanako and hummed in thought, before simultaneously shaking their heads. He seemed far too confident not have had some experience. Yet Tamaki didn't have the same mind set.

Kaname came to a halt in front of the couple. He glanced at the short female, who was watching him with a nervous expression, before looking at Tohru. Seeing his understanding smile, he raised one hand and lifted her head higher with his index finger. Kanako closed her eyes, accepting the situation, as he began to lean in to kiss her cheek.

"Wait!" Tamaki shot forward, intending to stop them. He did not want his son being forced into kissing anyone! His eyes were locked on the couple standing below, and therefore did not see the banana peel laying on one of the steps.

"!" Kaname found himself in a lip lock with Kanako, flowers blooming around them with soft music. The push Tamaki had unintentionally given him when he slipped on the banana peel was unexpected, and as a result, was enough to get him in this situation before he could steel himself against the force. Kanako's eyes widened and she immediately pulled away.

"**AHHHHH~!"** Kaname looked back up and noticed half of the females were either screaming in pleasure, hearts floating around them, until they feinted from loss of breathe or crying about the injustice of not being the one to gain his attention. He gazed back at Kanako, who was anxiously looking at Tohru.

"Gomenasai…" Kaname told him. It hadn't been his intention to kiss his fiancée but what's done is done.

"It's alright. It was an accident," Tohru smiled as he wrapped an arm around a relieved Kanako.

"Gomenasai, musuko!" Tamaki cried dramatically behind him, waterfall tears falling from his eyes as he lay on the ground where he had fallen. "I couldn't save you…!" Kaname turned around to face him and sighed at his antics.

"...?" Tamaki blinked when Kaname suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Don't worry about it," Kaname assured the blonde while gently patting his cheek. "Besides," he gave a small smirk, "the kiss wasn't bad." Tamaki beamed, happy that he wasn't upset with him. They were oblivious of the confused eyes watching the two interact intensely.

* * *

><p><em><strong>~ Omake~<strong>_

* * *

><p>"For the last time, I don't know what, or even if, Kaname is planning something!" Haruhi huffed in irritation and stomped away from them towards the street to begin walking home. Since the party, which had been last night, Hikaru and Kaoru have been badgering her for information.<p>

"**It'll be on your conscious if we die!" **the twins yelled at her retreating form.

"Maybe Kaname isn't going to do anything," Kaoru reasoned as they walked towards the school gate. "If he had wanted to, he would have done something by now."

"I guess you're right," Hikaru sighed. "Besides," he smirked. "He'll never be able to outsmart the Hitachiin brothers!" Kaoru grinned back at his twin. They held their heads high as they continued walking, confident that they will not be harmed.

They paused when they heard a small whine coming from the bush on their right.

"Did you hear that?" Hikaru asked.

"Hai…" They were startled when the bush suddenly rustled and a small black bundle came out.

"What is it…?" Hikaru said curiously as they stepped closer to it.

"It looks like…" Kaoru crouched down and poked the furry being, making it give another whine. "A puppy…" The little black canine stood on slightly shaky legs and walked over to the squatted twin.

"What's this thing doing all the way out here," Hikaru crouched down beside his twin to get a better look at the small pup. "It doesn't even look old enough to be away from its mother." He noted when he saw its eyes were squinted.

"Aww, it likes me." Kaoru smiled as the puppy began licking his hand and jumped up to lean its front paws against his leg.

"Come on, Kaoru. It's none of our business what happens to it," Hikaru stood, becoming bored.

"Alright," he sighed and patted the canines head. He blinked when the puppy suddenly gave a cute howl. "A wolf hybrid?"

"Uh… Kaoru? I think you should get up now…" Hikaru said.

"Why?" Kaoru looked questionably up at his twin, hearing the nervous edge his voice held. He followed his line of sight and froze. A few yards in front of them stood a raven haired wolf-dog with royal purple eyes and a matching leather collar, watching them closely. The puppy gave a happy bark at seeing the large canine, but did not move away from Kaoru.

"Because momma wolf just came for her pup," Hikaru told him, slowly backing away.

"G-go on now," Kaoru gently pushed the puppy to walk towards the hybrid dog. "Go to your okaasan." The puppy whined, not wanting to leave his side. "Go!" He gave the canine a rougher push, causing the baby wolf to tumble forward with a pained whine. Kaoru slowly stood, laughing nervously, when the mother hybrid began growling at him. "G-gomenasai! I d-didn't mean it!" The mother wolf only growled louder, stalking towards their slowly retreating forms.

"Why are you apologizing? It doesn't understand you!" Hikaru snapped.

"You never know! She can't be entirely stupid!" Kaoru shot back.

They paused as the mother suddenly stopped growling when she reached the puppy's side. The little canine whined and attempted to huddle against her for comfort. The mother gently grasped the pup by the scruff of its neck and began walking away.

"**Whew,"** The twins released sighs of relief. It was short lived, though, for they turned rigid when they once again heard growling and noticed the female hybrid had left her pup near a tree and had returned to stand in front of them.

"Easy girl," Hikaru said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"You have your baby back so you don't need to bother us anymore," Kaoru added, his hands in the same gesture.

They jumped when she suddenly let out a sharp bark and stiffened when they heard additional growls behind them. Slowly, they glanced behind in dread and spotted a pure white haired wolf hybrid with golden eyes glaring at them, a matching leather collar adorning his neck. He circled them, eyeing them the entire way, to stand alongside the female. He nudged her head with his own in greeting before glancing back at the pup.

"Oh, great," Kaoru groaned.

"Papa wolf came to the rescue," Hikaru grumbled sarcastically.

The two canines suddenly barked jointly and lunged.

"**AHH!" **They screamed and ran for their lives. The hybrids ran after them, nipping at their heels, encouraging them to run faster.

So terrified were the twins that they never noticed the canines had ended their growling and never once truly sunk their teeth into them while they were chased. Neither did they see the blue eyes that fully opened to watch them flee in satisfaction.

* * *

><p><strong>Review !<strong>

***Chibi Taisho**


	6. Physical Exams

**Disclaimer: ** I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

_**Past Life Memories**  
><em>

* * *

><p>The sun hung high in the clear blue sky as the breeze softly blew the cherry blossoms in a spiral dance on their descent to the grass covered ground. On such a beautiful day, the Host Club was decided to be held outside, calling it the 'Ouran Host Club – Cherry Blossoms Banquet.' Tamaki, Kyoya and the Hitachiin Brothers were dressed as waiters and carrying trays holding tea sets and drinks while Mori, Honey, Haruhi and Kaname wore yukatas.<p>

Sitting separately from everyone else, Kaname calmly meditated in the lotus position, his eye closed as he deeply breathed in the fresh air, relishing being in nature's comfort. The dark blue yukata he wore fit well, bringing back fond memories of the days of true freedom and adding to ease his spirit. This was all he needed to relax.

Peace…

Quiet…

Tranquility…

…

…

…

"Is he asleep?" He heard a female whisper.

"I don't know. He's been sitting like that for an hour now," another girl responded.

"He's like a magnificent statue that must be worshipped!" A female suddenly exclaimed. "Let's offer him flowers!"

The sound of footsteps surrounded him before there was soft rustling and the scent of cherry blossoms invaded his senses. Without opening his eyes, he swiftly caught the small branch of flowers thrown directly at him with his left hand and grasped the perpetrator's hand that threw it with his right. The action must have caught them by surprise since the person tripped and landed snug on his lap. His right arm automatically came out to help support the unexpected weight. Slowly, he opened calm blue eyes to see familiar startled violet orbs.

"Tamaki?"

"Ehehehe Kaname-sempai! I bet your wondering how I got here!" Tamaki laughed nervously. "W-well you see what had happened was," he began with an embarrassed blush as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I heard what the ladies were saying and t-thought throwing flower petals would be fun!"

Kaname lifted a brow. "But you threw me a branch," he remarked blandly as he held up said small branch holding several small cherry blossoms on it.

"Ehehehe," A large sweat drop formed on the back of Tamaki's head and his blush grew. "Whoops?" he responded weakly.

He wasn't afraid of Kaname, per say. It was just, for some odd reason, Kaname's opinion of him mattered and he did not want the older male angry with him. He did not even feel discomfort being so close to the impassive male either. In fact, he felt content being where he was now, which confused him greatly. At the moment, he felt like a child anxiously waiting to be reprimanded by a parent.

Kaname sighed softly and carelessly threw the small branch away before lightly patting his head. "Pay attention next time. I'll forget about this little incident if you get me some cake."

"Hai!" Tamaki beamed, knowing he wasn't in any trouble, and shot out from his place on his lap towards a table holding numerous sweets. He quickly returned with a plate holding a large slice of Chocolate Fudge cake. "Here you go, my dear musuko! Otousan brought you a delicious piece of cake!"

"Hn. Thanks," Kaname grasped the plate, both males unaware of the moving scene they have been creating as roses filled the background and sparkles of light danced around their bodies.

"**AHH~!" **The observing group of females finally screamed in delight, startling the two males.

"They're bonding!"

"So heartwarming!"

"I can't take it! It's overwhelming!" one female said as she turned her reddened face away.

"You have to watch this!" Her friend argued without tearing her eyes away from them. "You may not get another chance to see Kaname-kun like this! Who knows when it'll happen again?!"

"You're absolutely right, mademoiselle." Kyoya stated as he appeared out of nowhere beside them, holding a small branch of cherry blossoms. "All beauty is fleeting, just like these cherry blossoms. You'll never be able to see them this lively again. And that's why..." He suddenly pulled out several books, one for each type of host with their picture on the cover. "I've assembled picture books of each host member that capture the magnificence of each passing day." He smiled pleasantly. "And if you ladies are interested in buying them all, I'll discount the whole set."

The group of females immediately stood from their seats, shouting excitedly at the prospect of owning the entire collection as they crowded around a pleased Kyoya.

"So that's how the club makes extra money," Kaname hummed around a forkful of cake. His eyes narrowed in thought. '_When did he take pictures of me?'_

"**Kaname-sempai!"** The twins cried out as they appeared in front of his still seated form. **"You stole our customers!"** They pointed at him accusingly. Kaname only blinked in response and continued to casually eat his cake.

"Do not accuse my musuko of doing such blasphemous things, you doppelgangers!" Tamaki defended him, shaking his fist angrily at them.

"**But he did!" **They countered jointly. **"In fact, both of you did with your little act!" **Their statement caused Tamaki to pale in shock.

"We did no such thing!" Tamaki argued. "Isn't that right, Kaname-sempai?" He turned his head to look at where the indifferent male was sitting only to find it empty. "Kaname-sempai…?" He looked around and found him walking away, cake in hand.

"Boring conversation," Kaname explained his departure over his shoulder loud enough for them to hear.

"Wait, sempai!" Tamaki turned and ran after him. "Don't leave me alone with these twin devils! I'm too beautiful to be around them!"

The twins were left behind, gaping and cursing the injustice of it all.

* * *

><p>Kaname sat peacefully in one of the many cherry blossom trees, his back against the base with his left leg propped up while his right hung from the branch. His laced hands rested on his lap as he closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the smells of nature. A new plate of Chocolate Fudge cake lay untouched and perfectly balanced atop his bent knee. He had come here to enjoy a moment of tranquility to himself and for another, more important, reason. He was currently waiting for said reason to decide to make an appearance. Lifting a hand, he carefully dabbed his index finger on the corner of the cake slice just as a small rustle came from the branch above him.<p>

"Boo!"

Kaname quickly placed his icing covered finger against the nose of his 'attacker.'

"Okaasan!" The same familiar voice cried out indignantly. Smirking, Kaname opened his eyes to see Shippo glaring at the dab of icing on his nose, his green orbs going cross-eyed at the action, as he hung upside down with his face only inches away from his own. His fiery orange hair flowed down to Kaname's lap, tickling his fingers when it swayed along with the movements of his head. To this casual visit, he only wore a green plaid button-up shirt with navy jeans and black sneakers.

"You were attempting to scare me again," Kaname explained as he licked the chocolate off his finger. Shippo only huffed before wiping the sugared confection off with his own finger and licking it clean.

"Mmm not bad," he hummed appreciatively at the taste and craned his head back, eyeing the chocolate treat hungrily, before turning back to Kaname with happy, watery eyes. "Don't tell me you got that for me?" He pointed at himself.

"Hn," Kaname's smirk remained. "I didn't get it for you."

"W-what!" Shippo gaped in childish horror, his tears growing with his disappointment. "B-but! It looks so yummy! You know I love chocolate, okaasan!"

"I'm kidding," he sighed, refraining from the desire of rolling his eyes at his dramatics as he poked him in the cheek. "You already know I got it for you."

"Heh, I know." Shippo chuckled, his tears drying up, as he pulled his upper body back up the branch he was suspended from before jumping off and landing gracefully on the branch Kaname was currently seated on. The tree limb shook momentarily with the added weight, but showed no signs of breaking. Shippo sat down, his legs dangling below him, as he happily began eating the cake slice.

"So why are you here?" Kaname asked inquisitively, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Do I have to have a reason? What if I just missed you?" Shippo pouted.

"Then you would have visited me at the apartment," Kaname stated logically.

"Well… I was just wondering," he hummed, eyeing the blushing dandelions prancing around with a grin. "Which one of those chicks did you kiss?"

"You know it was an accident," Kaname directed a small scowl at the laughing kitsune. "Besides, she no longer visits the club. Now what are you truly here for?"

"Fine, fine. I never get away with anything," he grumbled, pouting once more. "I was curious," he confessed as he gazed through the branches to where Haruhi, dressed in a burgundy haori and white hakamas, sat with a group of humans before switching his sights to the blonde dressed as a waiter and talking smoothly with a flustered female. "So the chairman's son is the reincarnation of Hiroki." He turned his head to look at his 'mother.' "Does he remember anything?"

"Only bits and pieces." Kaname responded as he watched Tamaki yell at the sniggering Hitachiin brothers.

"Did you ever think about going to talk to his parents?" Shippo inquired as he swallowed the last bite of cake. "It's only logical that they are Sango and Miroku's reincarnations too."

"I've considered it," he murmured with a sigh. "But Tamaki's parents may not be their reincarnations. It's not often souls are reborn together in the same family as their past lives. I don't want to go into Chairman Yuzuru's office, questioning him about a past life he may not even have. He'll label me a lunatic. If he's Miroku, when he regains his memories then he'll no doubt come find me."

"True… And we still need to find where in France Anne-Sophie is, too," Shippo muttered. "When Tamaki regains memories of his past life, I know you'll tell him everything. But what about Haruhi? Are we going to keep her in the dark like most of her ancestors?"

"I… don't know," Kaname frowned in uncertainty, eyeing the subject of their conversation as she interacted with Honey and Mori. "I might. From the short time that I've known her, she is incredibly kind and accepting, if not a bit too independent and stubborn."

"She sounds like a combination of you and Sango," Shippo chuckled, earning a mock glare from his companion.

A vibrating hum suddenly came from the pocket of Shippo's jeans. Reaching into the folds of the denim, Shippo retrieved a pricey looking cell phone and quickly read to contents of the text message he received.

"Kuso…" Shippo cursed under his breath as he re-pocketed the device.

"You need to leave?" Kaname guessed knowingly.

"Hai. I have a meeting with Yoshio-san in half an hour. He's still trying to buy out the company," Shippo grimaced while raking his hair in frustration.

Kaname narrowed his eyes at the small piece of information. The man thought Kaname to be an inexperienced fool incapable of being the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. After the revelation of his identity at the conference, many business leaders had attempted to trick him into surrendering his company numerous times, Yoshio being the main one. When Yoshio had first requested a meeting, he had conceded out of respect for the human patriarch. Kaname had soon come to regret it, straining to control his notorious temper with each subtle insult the man gave. He had almost lost it when Yoshio had practically demanded he hand over the business for an amount that was less than forty percent of the corporation's actual cost. Kaname hadn't been entirely surprised to see Kyoya held similar behavioral traits as his sire.

"Did you finish the paperwork I sent you yesterday?" Shippo asked, breaking Kaname out of his musings.

"Hai. I sent them to you this morning," Kaname replied as he leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. "You should have sent them earlier in the week. I had to stay up the entire night to finish it all."

"Gomen," Shippo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I've just been a little busy and things have been a little hectic since the day of the conference." He absently began tossing the fork in the air, the forgotten empty plate still sitting on his lap. "You should hire an assistant to deal with all the management tasks."

"Hmm…" Kaname hummed in thought. It would relieve some of the pressure on both of them. "Fine. Send me the resumes of those you think are acceptable."

"Great!" Shippo grinned, relieved to find someone else will soon take at least the minor work off his hands. "Oh, and by the way," he paused in tossing the utensil and pointed it at a certain glasses wearing host. "Can you tell him to stop trying to hack into your files? It's starting to get really annoying and I'm pretty sure his computer is useless now."

"Heh," Kaname smirked in amusement as he opened his eyes to look at said male, finally taking notice that Kyoya did not have his laptop today. "I'll tell him." Shippo's phone vibrated again, reminding them of the pressed time.

"I have to go now," Shippo sighed in disappointment, before launching himself onto Kaname's lap. He eagerly wrapped his arms around the disguised male's neck, the fork and plate held in his hands, and affectionately began to nuzzle his cheek against his own. "I'm going to miss you, okaasan!"

"I'll miss you too, Shippo." Kaname gave a soft smile and returned his theatrical kit's embrace. "I'll try to visit more often."

"You better!" Shippo murmured sternly, though his green eyes were filled with sadness at having to leave. Throughout the last five centuries, they've only been separated for only one, and that had been when Shippo was an adolescent and left to travel on his own. It was also when he had reunited and mated with Souten. He glanced down quickly at an approaching sound before pecking Kaname on the cheek. "Bye, okaasan." He flashed a grin before his form was engulfed in a puff of smoke with a small 'poof' and a robin sat in his place. He nudged his beak against his cheek in a final farewell and quickly spread its wings, taking off into the air.

"Kaname?"

Said male looked away from the departing bird to look below at the male that called to him.

"Hmm?"

Mori's eyes glanced up between him, his face impassive as always, to the clear sky.

"You seem distant," Mori observed, his gaze on a bird circling above the cherry blossom tree.

"You're worried about me, Takashi?" Kaname inquired.

Mori's nose gained a faint dust of pink. He turned towards the way he came from and began walking back towards Honey. Kaname only watched him walk away in amusement. In his eyes, all the hosts were such innocents to the real world and so easy to fluster.

In the sky above, a certain robin watched the scene with interest. It was rare for his mother to be sociable to anyone outside of pack. Centuries of loss taught them all not to get attached with humans when they will only live for a short amount of time. Shippo eyed the tall, impassive male named 'Takashi.' His sights then turned to the small blonde jumping excitedly next to him. He had a feeling those two will cause some interesting events in the future. With a mental grin, he took a sharp turn to head to the company base to quickly finish his meeting and hopefully after, have time to find information on the two males.

* * *

><p>Kaname sat on the ground with his back once again on the same cherry blossom tree. His fingers idly ran through the vividly green blades of grass, feeling the thrums of contentment resonating from the surrounding plant life. Although it did not compare to the feelings of abundant liveliness from the environment in the past eras, this time of the year was still one of his favorites. As a being of the forest, he always found comfort in nature's embrace.<p>

His ears perked up at the sound of footsteps heading in his direction. Glancing up, he spotted a pensive Tamaki calmly strolling by and stopping not to far from him. The blonde was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the raven haired 'male' sitting nearby, watching him.

Soon, another set of softer footsteps came, revealing it to be Haruhi as she breathed in deeply and enjoyed the scenery. The sounds she made caused Tamaki to snap out of his thoughts and turned his head towards her.

"Hello, Haruhi." Tamaki greeted as he placed a hand on his hip. "I hope you're having a good time."

"Tamaki-sempai…" She blinked in surprise at seeing him there.

"The flower viewing reception is going well, don't you agree?" He smiled and turned to face her fully. "But even so, it's rather daunting being admired than doing the admiring." He stated as his body sparkled under the sunlight.

"Wow-" Haruhi sweat dropped at the display. "You're in full bloom, sempai." She remarked dryly.

"You've noticed!" He pointed at her before once again posing, his body shimmering in the light. "Hai," he sighed in satisfaction. "Today my beauty is quite splendorous. The scenery," he motioned with a wave of his hands to the surrounding cherry blossoms. "Only complimenting my good looks." He declared proudly.

Haruhi deadpanned while Kaname shook his head with a small sigh.

"Oh, Kaname-kun. I didn't see you there," Haruhi confessed, finally noticing his presence. "Have you been there this whole time?"

"Hai." He blinked when Tamaki gasped dramatically.

"Gomen, musuko! I didn't mean to ignore you!" He cried in anguish as he began to run towards him, arms wide, for a hug.

"Gah!" Only to trip and fall on his face.

Kaname's eyes lit up with mirth at his show of clumsiness while Haruhi tried to contain her giggles behind her hand.

"**So, Haruhi."** The twins appeared on either side of her. Hikaru wrapped an arm around her neck while Kaoru grasped her arm and held up a sheet of paper for them to see. **"Have you decided which electives** **you'll take for the semester?"**

"How about Conversational French?" Kaoru suggested.

"I don't know…" Haruhi sighed indecisively.

"I think the three of us should take it together," Hikaru told them. "It makes perfect sense."

"**We **_**are**_** in the same class,"** They tossed evil grins at the frozen blonde. Tamaki immediately went to the nearest tree to sulk, a gloomy aura surrounding him.

"Oh! Kame-chan!" Honey called out as he ran over to the indifferent male and settled comfortably on his lap. "Did you finish all the projects for our classes?"

"Hai."

"Yay! Me and Takashi did them too," He beamed up at him as Mori stood beside them. "Now we can spend more time together! We can take you to my favorite shop where they make the best cake! Right, Takashi?" He looked up at the silent male.

"Hn," Mori nodded once.

Tamaki, who had looked back at them from his position to hear their conversation, grew more depressed at their words. He hugged his knees tighter, his gloomy aura growing more pronounced as his body suddenly began growing mushrooms. "Hey, okasaan?"

"What is it…" Kyoya paused in scribbling on his clipboard with a smirk. "Otousan?"

"I have a theory," he stated with a serious expression despite his depressing aura. "It's just a hypothesis. But it seems that by being in the same class, Hikaru and Kaoru spend more time with Haruhi than I do here at the club. And it's the same case with Kaname. Since Honey and Mori have class with him, they get to form a close bond." Giant tears filled his eyes at the realization of his own words as more mushrooms appeared throughout his body. "And if both Kaname and Haruhi become close with them, then they'll forget all about me and-!"

"Tamaki," Kyoya cut off his tirade. "You just now realized that?" A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down on Tamaki, turning all the mushrooms to ash and demonstrating just how hard his words affected him. A portable dry erase board appeared out of the blue, presenting two pie charts. "According to my research, the twins spend roughly nine hours of class time with Haruhi, not including club activities." Kyoya pointed to the pie graph on the left, labeled 'Twins', which held a large portion of red. "Meanwhile, you're limited to a few hours spent in the club." He pointed to the next chart, labeled 'Tamaki', which held a very small red section. Kyoya then flipped the board, revealing two more pie graphs. "The same goes with Kaname-sempai," he pointed to the left chart, labeled 'Honey & Mori', which also had a large portion of red. "As seniors, they spend hours together while you…" He pointed to the right chart, labeled 'Tamaki' that once again held the same small red section. "Only see him in the club." Kyoya said as he turned back to the blonde and held up three fingers. "In other words, your involvement in their life everyday amounts to no more than 3%."

"Ah!" Tamaki screamed and covered his ears with his hands while waterfall tears fell down his face. "I don't want to hear! It's not true!" He abruptly ran to Haruhi and grabbed her by her shoulders, looking at her sternly in the eyes. "Listen, Haruhi! I want you to stop hanging around those shady twins from now on!" He ordered her.

"Hey! Who are you calling shady!" Hikaru objected.

"Take a good look at yourself, boss!" Kaoru retorted as well.

"And Kaname-sempai!" Tamaki ignored everything else as he kneeled and grasped Kaname's shoulders with the same serious expression. "You have to stop hanging out with Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai!" Kaname only blinked in response, his face impassive as always. If Tamaki were anyone else, he probably would have wounded them for invading his personal space.

"Why don't you want Kame-chan to be around us?" Honey, still sitting on Kaname's lap, asked with a frown. His eyes soon became watery, on the verge of tears. "Do you hate us now, Tama-chan?!" He didn't wait for a response and looked at Mori, his tears finally falling from his eyes. "Why does Tama-chan hate us, Takashi?!"

Mori frowned, disliking the fact that not only was Honey upset, but Tamaki actually thought he could forbid them from speaking to their friend. He narrowed his steel grey eyes at the 'Host King.'

"Ah!" Tamaki hid behind Haruhi for safety. Mori can be incredibly intimidating when he wanted to be.

"You should know better than making Honey-sempai cry, Tamaki-sempai." Haruhi sighed exasperatedly at his behavior.

"But all otousan wants is to spend time with his children!" He cried out in frustration, tears falling down his cheeks. "And you can't keep hiding the fact that you're a girl from everyone!"

"Who are you calling 'otousan'?" Haruhi questioned the self-proclaimed 'father.' "And what does my gender have to do with you spending time with Kaname-kun?" Yet her questions were completely ignored by Tamaki.

"So do it! Change back!" Tamaki screamed despairingly, shaking Haruhi back and forth. "Change back! Change back now!"

"You don't have to rush it." Hikaru told them. "Everyone's going to find out soon."

"Physical exams are the day after tomorrow," Kaoru informed them, causing Tamaki to pause in his actions.

"Physical… exams?" Haruhi repeated belatedly, a bit dizzy from Tamaki's treatment. Everyone but Kaname blanched at the knowledge of the coming events, their sights centered on the disguised female host.

"That's right," Kyoya commented. "I almost forgot it."

"Then that means…" Haruhi murmured while pointing at the sky, clearly unaffected by the situation. "Everyone's going to find out I'm really a girl.

Everyone gasped, the circumstances suddenly becoming real at her words. Kaname on the other hand, was calmly gazing at the sky. The physical exams were an inconvenience, but not a complication.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>The Next Day<em>

Kaname leaned against the doorway of Haruhi's last class, patiently waiting for her to finish speaking with her teacher about a recent assignment. Glancing inside at the classroom's clock, he realized they would be late to the Host Club for the first time. Not that he ever cared. He grimaced slightly when he heard feminine giggles. He refused to look at the group of dandelions he _knew_ were watching him from down the hallway. If he acknowledged their presence, it will only make them more determined to gain his attention.

"He's waiting for Haruhi-kun again!"

"He's so loyal!"

"It's like their a couple!"

The last female's remark only sent them into a spur of delighted screams and sighs of pleasure. Kaname for the most part, ignored them.

"Hey, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Haruhi greeted with a smile as she stepped out of the classroom. It has become routine now for her to have Kaname waiting and accompanying her. He was like a guardian of sorts.

"Not at all," Kaname patted her head in greeting. They then began walking down the corridor in a comfortable silence, the only noise coming from their footsteps and the crowd of females following them at a safe distance.

"Kaname-kun?" Haruhi inquired suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering," she gazed at him curiously. "Why do you always want to be around me? And why are you so protective?"

"Do I bother you by doing so?" Kaname asked instead.

"No, no!" She shook her head negatively. "I was just curious… Is it because I remind of your old friend?" She remembered when they had first met, he had admitted she reminded him of someone. She had chalked it up with one of the reasons why he wanted to become her friend in the first place. Perhaps whoever that someone was, Kaname felt he could have prevented their death. It explained his protectiveness of her. She blinked in confusion when he suddenly stopped in his tracks and automatically stopped alongside him, waiting for him to explain.

"I am keeping a promise to my deceased friends," Kaname finally admitted. "And in a sense you do remind me of them. You hold similar qualities." He turned his head to look at her and tilted her chin up with a single digit. Her brown eyes widened with surprise at seeing the intensity in his blue orbs. "But I assure you. When I look at you, I do not see them. I see Haruhi, my dear friend. Understand?"

"Hai," Haruhi nodded. Her friend was compassionate despite his cold nature. And although she is growing more curious about his past, she will wait patiently until he tells her on his own.

"Good." Kaname retracted his hand with a small smile, to which Haruhi returned.

"**Ahhh~!" **Kaname winced at the unexpected high pitched shrills from the females behind them. He sighed inaudibly before glancing back at Haruhi and making a decision.

"Get on," He turned his back to her and crouched down.

"What? Why?"

"I want to get away from them," He eyed the screaming crowd of banshees with annoyance before looking back at her from the corner of his eye. "And we're already late."

"We are?" She glanced out the window to the academy's clock tower. "Damn, we are. Alright then." She stepped up behind him, making sure her satchel lay firmly on her back and hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave a small squeak in surprise when Kaname abruptly stood, her knees instinctively locking around his hips.

"I won't drop you." He assured her as he held her firmly by her knees and easily lifted her body to a more comfortable position. Receiving a nod, he bolted into a fast run, leaving behind the group of blushing females.

It wasn't long before they could finally see the door to the club room. Slowing down, Kaname opened the door and stepped inside, letting the door close by itself.

"Hey, guys." Haruhi greeted them from her place on Kaname's back. Oddly enough, she found it comfortable. "Gomen for being late."

"Don't worry, Haruhi!" Tamaki suddenly appeared before them, grasping one of Haruhi's hands. "No one will find out you're actually a girl during tomorrow's physical exams," he assured her. "So please stay our beloved secret princess!"

"Umm… sure?" She glanced confusedly at Kaname, who only shrugged, before gently setting her on her feet.

"You know," Hikaru started. "We'd both get annoyed watching all the guys flirt with her."

"Then it's settled." Kaoru proclaimed.

A portable dry erase board appeared out of the blue, presenting stick figures drawn with black marker. On the top in large print, it said 'Operation Conceal Haruhi's Gender.' Written below the title in smaller print, it said 'also named Operation: I Swear Haruhi is a Boy!'

"Listen up, squad members!" Tamaki announced while pointing to the stick figures. All the hosts, except for Kaname and Haruhi, stood in front of the board, listening to the blonde speak. "At tomorrow's exams, position yourselves in Formation A. Then wait for your orders."

"**Hai****!" **The twins saluted understandingly, though they didn't appear to be taking his words seriously.

Kaname and Haruhi only watched them with blank expressions.

"I've got it!" Haruhi suddenly stated while gently pounding her fist into her hand in understanding. "You guys are worried because if they find out I'm a girl, then I can't be a host and therefore, can't repay my debt." She grasped her chin, her hands in the classic thinking position, as she gazed thoughtfully out the window. "My balance is ¥4, 926,357. With help from Kaname, I've paid roughly half of it back…" She mumbled in contemplation.

The hosts sweat dropped at hearing her words, witnessing a small show of her intellect for themselves. They glanced at Kaname to see his reaction, only to find him walking back with a plate a cake, seemingly unaffected.

"Well, I guess I'll have to find another way to pay the rest of my debt off," Haruhi shrugged it off with a carefree laugh.

"**Do something!" **The twins turned to Tamaki. **"The subject doesn't appear to have any motivation!"**

"Why'd we get stuck with such a difficult heroine…?" Tamaki muttered to himself before pointing accusingly at her. "Are you saying you hate being a host? That you hate this club?"

"To be honest, hai." Haruhi admitted, causing Tamaki to gasp in shock. He immediately went to the nearest corner to sulk, the little area turning dark to accommodate his depressed state.

"I mean, you guys aren't bad or anything," Haruhi scratched the back of her head with a shrug. "But if it gets out that I'm a girl, there's nothing I can do, right?"

"**Kaname-sempai!"** The twins called him and pointed at Haruhi. **"Say something to make her stay! She always seems to listen to you!"**

Kaname raised a brow at their statement and glanced at the subject of their conversation. "It's her decision." He stated simply. "And if she leaves the club, then I have no reason to stay as well." Even if Tamaki is a part of the club, if Kaname had a chance of escaping the hounding females, then he would take it. He could just see the host members during or after school.

The hosts paled at his words. Not only could they lose one of their members, but two? They each had their own reasons to prevent it from happening.

Tamaki whimpered in his corner, his distress doubling. He couldn't lose his precious children!

Hikaru and Kaoru grit their teeth in frustration. They had become quite attached to their toy, especially Hikaru. And Kaname didn't seem that bad to be around.

Kyoya froze in scribbling in his black book. He didn't like the prospect of them leaving. Not only will the club lose a large amount of profit, but the idea of Haruhi not being here felt… unsettling.

Honey was on the verge of tears. He didn't want to lose his friends! Even if he saw Kaname in class, he rarely saw Haruhi as much.

Mori frowned. He understood that Kaname held a close relationship with Haruhi and wouldn't want to be in the Host Club without her. If Honey were to quit, Mori would as well. He didn't want his friends to leave. A slightly saddened expression appeared on his face at the thought of not being around the calmly composed male as much as he now does.

"They don't seem to care one way or the other," Hikaru muttered aloud.

"Well before we do anything, we have to find a way to motivate them." Kaoru stated logically.

"As long as Haruhi is convinced to stays in the club, I'm sure Kaname-sempai will remain a member as well." Kyoya commented lightly and returned to his scribbling.

"Hmm," Mori hummed, placing a hand to his chin as he glanced at Kaname then at Haruhi. "Ootoro."

That simple word had an immediate reaction. Haruhi froze in her spot while the host's eyes widened in realization.

"That's right." Tamaki said as he looked at her from his corner with a conniving grin. "You didn't get to eat any at the party, did you?"

"Did you hear that?" Hikaru asked his twin with his own devious smirk. "She's never eaten fancy tuna before. Isn't that awful?"

"Wow, talk about a rough upbringing." Kaoru responded with an equal grin.

"If only Haru-chan stayed in the Host Club." Honey told his bunny, Usa-chan. "Then she'll get to try all the yummy treats she wants."

"What? Don't be silly!" Haruhi forced a smile and waved her hand as if to bat off the idea. "Just because I'm poor and never tried it doesn't mean I'd be such a glutton and go on fooling everyone about my gender just to eat some otoro." She laughed nervously.

Kaname set his plate down on a nearby table and silently strolled back behind the hosts holding smug smirks as they watch Haruhi's denial.

…

…

…

"Do I really get to try it?" Haruhi meekly asked.

"**Ha!" **Tamaki, Honey and the twins cheered at their accomplishment. Kyoya smirked in satisfaction while Mori hummed in approval.

A soft melodic sound caught Mori's attention and he glanced towards his right. His eyes widened a fraction at discovering the source to be Kaname chuckling to himself. He had never heard him laugh before.

"I guess I'm staying also," Kaname remarked with a small grin.

Mori nodded, a small tint of red running across his nose. He noticed when Kaname laughed, his eyes brightened considerably and his expression becomes much more… gentle.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>The Next Morning<em>

'_We will begin conducting Physical Exams shortly. All students please proceed to the clinic in your respective school building.' _A female voice announced into the intercom for the entire Academy.

Kaname calmly walked down the corridor with a chattering Honey sitting on his shoulders while Mori walked alongside them. The students were arranged to take their physical examinations by grade level, and as seniors, they were up first.

"So this plan for Haruhi…" Kaname started and glanced up at Honey. "It's going to be stupid, isn't it?"

"Maybe," Honey giggled, causing the nearby females to gush at his cuteness. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Fine. As long as I'm not a part of it."

Honey giggled again while Mori averted his eyes. Kaname narrowed his eyes at their suspicious actions.

"We're here!" Honey proclaimed as Kaname opened the large double doors to the infirmary.

"**Welcome, students!"** The doctors and nurses chorused in unison. On the right was a lengthy line of nurses while on the left was a long line of doctors.

Kaname sighed in exasperation and strolled into the large room. He was not the least bit surprised by the school's exaggerated actions. Experiences in the corporate world taught him how much wealthy families liked to wave their money around.

"Takashi Morinozuka?" A nurse stepped before him with a smile. "Please come with me to get your height measurements." The indifferent male nodded and silently followed the female to one of the curtained areas.

Honey and Kaname watched as an eager group of females followed as well.

"Are they going to watch him strip?" Kaname inquired bluntly.

"Hai! The girls always like to watch members of the Host Club complete their physical exams." Honey answered with a smile.

"Excuse me, Mitsukuni Haninozuko?" Another nurse came up to them with a cheerful smile.

"I'll be right back, Kame-chan!" Honey said happily as he jumped off his shoulders and followed the nurse.

Kaname grimaced slightly at the turn of events and warily eyed the crowd of females watching him with hungry eyes and impatiently waiting for his turn. What the hell did he look like? A fucking stripper?

"Kaname Takahashi?" A soft feminine voice called him. He looked towards the source and his eyes widened marginally at what he found. "I will be your nurse for this evening." She smiled pleasantly, her lavender eyes filled with humor as she looked up at him. "Please follow me to begin your physical examination."

"Alright," A corner of his lips tilted up slightly as he tried not to laugh aloud. Her smile broadened as she grabbed his wrist and lead him towards a curtained area.

"First, we will need to take your height measurements, Takahashi-san." The petite nurse informed as she pushed the curtains away, allowing him to walk in first. "So if you would please, take off your shoes and step onto the scale." She stepped in and pulled the curtains back in place.

"Must I, Emiko-chan?" Kaname questioned in a low voice. He didn't want anyone to know that he in fact knew his nurse. Although there was enough noise in the room to drown out their voices, one can never be too sure.

"No, oba-chan." Emiko giggled behind her hand. "I just didn't want anyone to get suspicious." She told him in an equally low voice.

"I didn't think you would end up being my nurse," he admitted, gazing at her bright pink uniform in mild disgust. At least it wasn't as bad as the Ouran female uniform.

"Didn't Shippo-sama inform you that some of us from the hospital were hired by the Chairman?" Emiko inquired confusedly. Receiving a shake of the head, she sighed and idly played with her long powder blue tinted hair. Emiko looked like an almost exact replica of her mother. "Well, he has been pretty busy lately." She mumbled to herself.

"Who's going to be my doctor?" Kaname asked curiously. He hoped it was someone from the hospital staff he knew.

"My mate," She answered happily. In that moment, the curtain was pulled back to allow a tall, handsome male with shoulder length obsidian hair and deep teal eyes to step into the small area.

"Hello, Kagome-chan," the male greeted with a teasing grin. "I never thought I would see you back in high school. Especially in this form." He motioned to his male body with his clipboard.

"Hello to you as well, Katsuo-kun." He greeted the doctor with a light glare, causing him to chuckle in response. Kaname paused suddenly and took a delicate sniff of the enclosed area.

"Emiko-chan?" He gazed at the grinning couple. "You're pregnant?"

"Hai!" She gave a wide smile and hugged her mate around his waist.

"We're finally going to start a family," Katsuo wrapped an arm around his mate's shoulders.

"Congratulations," Kaname smiled. They've both have wanted a child for a while. "Have you told Shiori and Hakkaku?"

"No, my parents still don't know." Emiko responded with a shake of her head. "We only just found out I was pregnant this morning. You're the first to know!"

"Are you almost done, Kame-chan?" Honey's voice abruptly called out from the other side of the curtain. "We have to hurry if we want to catch Haru-chan before she takes her physical exam!"

"I'm coming," he replied loud enough for him to hear.

"There was a fairly large crowd of human girls waiting to see you without a shirt," Katsuo told him. "You're not going to do the exam though, are you?" He asked. Kaname gave him a blank stare. "I thought so," He grinned. "Don't worry. I already know your measurements, so you can go."

"Thanks," he smiled in gratitude. He passed them towards the exit before coming to a halt as he grasped the curtain. "Be sure to visit more often." He glanced at them from the corner of his eye. "It's been a few months since you both actually stopped by."

"**Of course, Kagome-sama."** They bowed and smiled in farewell. Kaname nodded goodbye to them and walked out of the small space, ignoring the cries of disappointment from the group of females.

"You're finished!" Honey cheered and grasped his hand. "I finished mines too! Now we just have to get Takashi!" Kaname nodded and allowed him to pull him along down the aisle of the room. He blinked when he saw a large mass of squealing females. "That's where Takashi is!" Honey pointed at the crowd. "Excuse me, ladies!" He gently pushed through the herd of dandelions.

"Alright, Morinoazuka-san. You can put your shirt on now." They heard a male voice say just as the two managed to get through the crowd. Kaname's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight presented to him. There stood a shirtless Mori, completely impassive even to the females ogling his exposed skin.

"Hi, Takashi!" Honey greeted merrily as he stopped in front of him.

"Hn," Mori ruffled his blonde hair in acknowledgement. He then noticed a hand holding Honey's and followed it up to find it to be Kaname. His eyes widened and a small blush appeared when he noticed the scrutinizing gaze aimed at his body. He watched as his blue eyes traveled from his broad shoulders to his toned lower abs, shivering lightly because he could practically _feel_ his gaze on his skin.

"Hmm," Kaname hummed in thought as he stepped closer to the male and poked his abs. He noted that the firm muscle tensed under his momentary touch. He looked up into Mori's steel gray eyes. "You're surprisingly attractive," he admitted bluntly.

"!" Mori's blush deepened at his direct words.

"Relax. It's simply an observation," Kaname smirked in amusement. And what he said was true. He knew all the host members were a good-looking bunch, but he never truly noticed until now. Well, he noticed Mori. Aside from Honey, he doubted the other hosts were as fit as him.

"**Eeeeh~!" **The crowding females squealed in glee at the impassive males' 'touching' display.

"Kuso…" Kaname glared at the annoying dandelions. Because of their close proximity, their screeches actually left his ears throbbing this time. He turned his eyes back to the still shirtless male and short-statured blonde. "I'll be outside." Without another word, he did an about face and began walking towards the infirmary exit.

A still flushed Mori watched the raven haired male walk away with a slightly perplexed expression.

"Here you go, Takashi!" Honey broke him out of his thoughts and held up his articles of clothes with a big smile.

"Thanks." Mori gratefully took them and began the task of redressing himself. He will think on these odd reactions towards his impassive friend at another time.

* * *

><p>"No."<p>

"If you do it, we'll cut one-third of Haruhi's debt off." Kyoya offered offhandedly with a smirk as he paused in writing in his black book.

"…"

"Please, sempai?" Tamaki clasped his hands together and aimed his large puppy dog eyes at him.

"…"

Tamaki gave a small whimper as tears gathered in the corner of his eyes for added effect.

"…I'll only wear the coat."

"Then we'll cut one-fourth of the debt." Kyoya proposed as he went back to his scribbling.

"Deal."

* * *

><p>"So what's with this Formation A thing you guys were talking about?" Haruhi questioned curiously as she walked alongside the Hitachiin brothers. "What do they do during physical exams here at Ouran anyway?"<p>

"A physical exam is the same in every school." Hikaru told her with an amused smile.

"Why would it be any different for us just because we're rich?" Kaoru questioned with an equal smile.

"I guess you're right," she laughed in relief as she opened the double doors to the infirmary.

"**Welcome, students!" **a chorus of voices greeted with pleasant smiles. On the right was a line of nurses while the doctors stood lined up on the left.

"W-what… is all this?" Haruhi asked in shock.

"Just another physical exam," Hikaru stated blandly as he walked by her into the room.

"The usual," Kaoru remarked aloofly as he walked into the infirmary as well.

"The usual?" Haruhi repeated, blinking out of her shocked state and following them in.

"Excuse me, Hitachiin Brothers." Two nurses curtsied before them in greeting. "Please follow me to get your height measured."

"**Sure." **They replied disinterestedly and followed behind the two nurses, leaving behind a sweat dropping Haruhi.

"Fujioka-san," A nurse called out to her, making Haruhi snap out of her thoughts. "I'm your nurse for this afternoon's physical exams."

"Um… ok." Haruhi said unsurely.

"Come this way, please." The nurse grasped her wrist and began leading the disguised female down the aisle of curtained areas. As they walked, Haruhi turned her head and paused at the scene before her.

"Honey-sempai? Mori-sempai?" Haruhi questioned in bewilderment.

They were disguised as doctors with white lab coats and large round glasses to shield their eyes while they each held clipboards. Many females stood by, giving them dreamy glances and whispering to themselves. She jumped as she felt a hand on her head and turned her head up. Her eyes widened when she saw it to be Kaname wearing a similar white coat, without the spectacles, and holding his own clipboard. "Kaname-kun?" Kaname only shrugged in response. Haruhi gave Honey and Mori a questioning glance, only for them to raise a single digit to their lips in a shushing motion.

"Is this part of their 'plan'?" Haruhi questioned Kaname curiously. She deadpanned when he nodded affirmatively. "But… It's so obvious…"

"I got them for backup just in case something happens," Kyoya informed her as he appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"But why are they in doctor disguises?" She inquired confusedly.

"They're just helping to set the mood," he told her with a smirk as he pushed his glasses up with two digits. "Disguises make our mission feel like a real espionage mission."

"…" Haruhi once again deadpanned at his response.

"Wow, Shiramine-san!" A male voice suddenly drew their attention to a seated doctor attending to a heavy set female student standing on a scale. "You've lost two whole kilograms since last year's examination." The cluster of nurses surrounding them applauded with cheers of happiness.

"That's so good to hear!" The female student exclaimed with relief. "I thought for sure I gained weight!"

"Of course not." The doctor assured. "Keep it up and you'll be even healthier next year!"

"Isn't that a little weird?" Haruhi spoke up after observing the scene. "The doctors are so jovial and nice…"

"They're chosen by the school's chairman." Kyoya informed her. "This may be a school, but it's also a business. Therefore he wants to keep the students happy. After all, most of the attending students come from prominent families with their own private doctors. So this… is just a formality."

Kaname smirked slightly at Haruhi's blank expression as she silently walked away and followed after her. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He momentarily paused in his step as an older male in a lab coat with light brown shaggy hair collided into Kyoya. He narrowed his eyes at the suspicious male but made no move towards him and shared a glance with Kyoya from the corner of his eyes when the 'doctor' walked away after apologizing for bumping into him.

"Hey, Kaname-kun." Haruhi called out to him, gaining his attention. "How did they get you to dress up as a doctor anyway?"

Kaname didn't bother to answer and only aimed a pointed stare at a smirking Kyoya.

"We simply convinced him that dressing up was an excellent way to give him a more relaxed image for the ladies as opposed to his already cold reputation," Kyoya responded with a pleasant smile.

Haruhi eyed him disbelievingly before looking at Kaname. "…He offered to take some of my debt off, didn't he?" Haruhi asked dryly.

"Precisely." Kaname replied with a small sigh of displeasure.

"Gomen, Kaname-kun." She apologized with frown. "For having to put on such a silly disguises to help pay off my debt."

"It's my pleasure." Kaname assured her with a pat of her head. Haruhi smiled in response to his treatment.

From the corner of his eye, Kaname caught the small scowl that appeared on Kyoya's countenance before is disappeared into his typical cool demeanor.

"Hitachiin Brothers." A nurse called to the twins with a smile, catching the surrounding student's attention. "Would you please come with me to take your chest measurements?" She motioned to the curtained area behind her. "You can use this area to undress."

The surrounding herd of dandelions anxiously awaited with baited breathes for the mischievous duo to remove your clothes and hopefully catch a glimpse of some skin.

"There's no need for that." Hikaru said in a bored tone as he unbuttoned his shirt and allowed it to slide off his shoulders to hang by the sleeves on his arms.

"We're not shy. Who needs a curtain?" Kaoru added with a smirk as he too undressed in a similar manner.

They smiled, proudly exposing their chests, as they're skin shimmered with light and roses appeared in the background. The females screamed in frenzied delight at their display.

"Physical exam day is quite popular for the ladies as well." Kyoya told a sweat dropping Haruhi. "It's a rather impressive turnout."

Getting tired with the entire show, Kaname looked towards the awaiting Honey and Mori before focusing on Haruhi and poked her nose to get her attention. "Follow me." He told her simply and began walking down the aisle of the infirmary.

"Huh?" Haruhi blinked in confusion. Before she could question further, two pairs of hands began pushing her in the direction the raven haired host went.

"Come on, Haru-chan." Honey said as he and Mori continued to push her along. They stopped at one of the curtained areas Kaname stood by and gave her a final shove into the small space.

"Finally," Kaname quietly mumbled with a sigh of relief as he shrugged off the lab coat and placed it, along with the clipboard, on a nearby chair. "How can you stand constantly being pestered by them?" He questioned Honey and Mori as he eyed the growing group of females restlessly waiting for Haruhi to reappear from behind the curtain with annoyance.

"It's just fun making friends with them." Honey stated simply with a smile as he took off his own coat and placed his doctor disguise on the same chair. "Plus it's fun to see their reactions to the hosts too!" He giggled as he dashed off to get their uniform blazers.

"Hmm..." Kaname hummed before turning his attention to the silent male. "Do the females not aggravate _you_?"

Mori shrugged and tossed his lab coat along with their already discarded ones.

"Their constant chatter doesn't annoy you?"

Mori shook his head.

Kaname crossed his arms and gazed at him with hidden curiosity. "Not even their screeches?"

"…" Mori paused in thought at his question.

"So they do," Kaname hummed with a tilt of his lips. "It doesn't bother you when they approach you sexually?"

"…" Mori's eyes widened and a small, barely noticeable, dust of pink came across his nose. Obviously, he either did not know or failed to notice any of the females' advancements.

"What did you think those two females meant when they asked for you to take their temperature?" Kaname inquired with a lift of his brow and motioned to the lab coats resting on the chair.

"… I was distracted." Mori admitted. He remembered the two female seniors that approached him but he had not listened to them speak since something else had been on his mind.

**Flashback:**

**Mori's eyes widened and a small blush appeared when he noticed the scrutinizing gaze aimed at his body. He watched as his blue eyes traveled from his broad shoulders to his toned lower abs, shivering lightly because he could practically **_**feel**_** his gaze on his skin.**

"**Hmm," Kaname hummed in thought as he stepped closer to the male and poked his abs. He noted that the firm muscle tensed under his momentary touch. He looked up into Mori's steel gray eyes. "You're surprisingly attractive," he admitted bluntly.**

"**!" Mori's blush deepened at his direct words. **

"**Relax. It's simply an observation," Kaname smirked in amusement**.

**End Flashback**

"So you didn't hear what one of the females proposed?" Kaname asked, breaking the indifferent male out of his thoughts.

Mori frowned and attempted to recall today's events. He did notice a number of females approach Kaname or tossing Mori himself longing glances. It was understandable given that Kaname was a very handsome man. His blushed brightened a degree at that stray thought and finally shook his head negatively at his friend's question.

"In fact, practically the whole female population was whispering it." Kaname murmured in realization. He then focused his attention back at the curious male. "They were hoping we performed 'private' physical examinations on each other." He told him bluntly with a careless shrug.

"!" Mori's face grew beet red and he desperately attempted to hide it behind the cover of his hand. Yet that did not stop his imagination from betraying him and giving him an image of them together, _in that way._ He groaned quietly as he felt his face grow hotter.

Kaname smirked at his flustered state, clearly seeing the bright blush through the cracks of his fingers. Honey took that moment to return, holding their missing articles of clothing.

"Here you go, Takashi, Kame-chan!" He smiled cheerfully and held up their blazers for them to take. He blinked and looked at Mori in confusion. "Takashi, why is your face red? Are you getting sick?" He asked with innocent worry.

"No," Mori shook his head and took his blazer with a small thanks, his face still flushed.

A still smirking Kaname silently took his own jacket and patted the small blonde in gratitude. He was not going to tell Honey the truth and embarrass Mori for fear that the taller male grow redder and pass out from the amount of blood rushing to his head.

"Fujioka-san?" A nurse's call drew their attention as she stood beside the curtained area Haruhi was in. "Have you finished disrobing so we may take your chest measurements?" The females began to whisper excitedly and anxiously waited for Haruhi to appear. Kaname tilted his head a degree in confusion, wondering what this 'plan' was. It didn't matter to him if Haruhi's gender was revealed or not. His eyes widened when the curtains were suddenly pulled aside to reveal an unexpected surprise.

"I am Haruhi Fujioka." Tamaki declared seriously as he stood with a brown wig and his shirt unbuttoned.

A heavy silence filled the room as everyone took in the sight in bewilderment.

"Wait… that's Tamaki." A girl spoke up.

"That's definitely Tamaki." Another girl agreed.

"Is he co-splaying as Haruhi?" A girl questioned in confusion.

"Is he trying to be funny?" Her friend inquired uncertainly.

The tense atmosphere was broken when the still shirtless twins suddenly began laughing hysterically while holding their sides, tears pouring continuously out of their eyes.

"I didn't think he would actually do it!" Hikaru choked out between laughs.

"I told you they'd recognize him!" Kaoru laughed as he repeatedly punched the ground in his hilarity.

An embarrassed blush appeared on Tamaki's face as he yanked off the wig and threw it forcefully to the floor with an angry shout. By now all the surrounding females were giggling at the entire situation.

"You jerks!" Tamaki ran to them and grasped Hikaru's throat. "You told me they'd never know the difference!"

"It's payback for calling us the homosexual supporting cast," Hikaru rasped out with a grin.

"Ha!" Kaname glanced between the mortified 'King' and a stupefied Haruhi that had unceremoniously fallen out from behind the curtain in disbelief and without another thought, let out a genuine chuckle. It was just too funny to even bother to contain! Though he had enough control over himself to ensure it came out in a deep tenor.

"Ah!" Tamaki gasped dramatically as he looked at the raven haired host. "First Haruhi is mad at me and now you're laughing at me, Kaname-sempai?" He wailed, tear tracks running down his face.

Tamaki's facial expression only caused Kaname to laugh harder in response, causing the poor blonde to freeze in distress. The crowd of female's silently squealed as they watched the usually cold male laugh, imprinting the rare sight to their memory.

"That…" Kaname sighed in relief, a small grin on his lips as he looked at Honey and Mori. "Was hilarious."

"Hai!" Honey nodded with a giggle.

"…" Mori smiled, a faint blush on his cheeks. Unlike the last time he had witnessed Kaname laugh, this time he appeared far more carefree and… warm. His laugh was full of life yet oddly comforting. His eyes grew considerably expressive and his face relaxed from its usual cold demeanor. It made him look far more handsome. Mori's blush deepened at his own traitorous thoughts.

* * *

><p>Kaname walked down the corridor alongside Haruhi towards 'The Special Boys' Clinic.' Why he was with her instead of the rest of the hosts was for the simple reason of escaping the hounding females complimenting his 'sexy laugh.' As for 'The Special Boys' Clinic,' Kyoya had apparently hired a female doctor sworn to secrecy about Haruhi's gender. The reason to why he had kept it to himself was to get his own form of revenge on Tamaki for calling him a 'homo side character'. Neither Kaname nor Haruhi had any idea what they were talking about and only shrugged it off. It was nonetheless amusing to see Tamaki slowly eroding away while despairingly mumbling 'my children' as a result of the whole retribution plot.<p>

"Hey, Kaname-kun?" Haruhi called to him.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering… if maybe one day you would like to come over my house? My otousan would really like to meet you."

"…" Kaname gave her a sideways glance. "You talk about me?"

"W-well, my otousan wants to know who I hang around with," She gave an embarrassed blush. "He says the Host Club sound like 'an exciting batch of gorgeous males to be around.'" She told him with a dull tone.

"Hmm…" Kaname gave a small smile and patted her head. "I'd love to visit your home." He was touched she would offer such a thing to him. Now there was only one problem that comes to mind with this visit: should he continue to keep her in the dark? He was no closer to making a decision than when the subject first came up with Shippo.

Haruhi smiled in response to the treatment. She blinked suddenly in surprise and looked up. "I think this is it." She murmured as they stopped at a pair of double doors labeled 'Special Boys' Clinic.' Haruhi knocked before opening the door after a muffled 'come in' to see a female doctor sitting at a desk.

"Hello, Fujioka-san." The doctor turned in her seat to address her with a smile. "I've been made aware of your situation." She pointed to the curtained area at the side of the room. "If you would, please disrobe over there."

"Sure," Haruhi nodded and was about to step in before Kaname's voice stopped him.

"May I come in?" Kaname inquired unexpectedly. Haruhi looked at him in surprise. "I promise not to look, it's just…" He looked down the corridor they just came from and sure enough, there stood a slowly approaching batch of dandelions. They've become bolder and actually began stalking him _everywhere_ he went. He grimaced lightly as they began squealing for being acknowledged by their object of pursuit.

"Ah," Haruhi nodded in understanding with a small laugh. "Sure, I'll just take my exam behind the curtain." She turned her attention back to the doctor. "Is it ok if he's in here? He's trying to get away from some harassing girls."

"Not at all," the doctor smiled in amusement. Kaname sighed in relief and followed Haruhi in and closed the door behind them. Without a word, he nodded in thanks to the doctor and walked to stand before the large window situated on the far side of the room and opposite of the curtains Haruhi had stepped behind.

A peaceful silence settled into the room, one that Kaname reveled in being after the eventful day as he gazed at the school grounds below. The only disrupting sounds he heard were the soft scribbling of the female doctor and the small rustles of clothing coming from Haruhi.

A small creak of the door caused Kaname's eyes to narrow as a somewhat familiar scent entered the room. A soft growl left his lips as he recognized it to be the suspicious 'doctor' from earlier. The sound only grew in volume as he turned to see him rush behind the curtains Haruhi was behind. In a flash, he appeared behind the older male and a semi-undressed Haruhi.

"Huh? Wha?" Haruhi clutched her shirt to her chest and gazed at the male 'doctor' in confusion. Her eyes widened in astonishment when Kaname appeared seemingly out of thin air and swiftly grabbed the male by his shirt collar and tossed him out of the small space like a rag doll.

"Kaname-kun?" Haruhi spoke up confusedly. He said nothing, his eyes piercingly cold, and rushed out after the male. She hurriedly slide on her shirt, not bothering to button it up, and held it closed as she stepped through the curtain. She found Kaname's back to her while the rest of the Host Club stood around, gazing at a pile of bodies on the ground. From the looks of it, Kaname's throw had apparently caused the older 'doctor' to slam into Tamaki and resulted in both falling to the floor.

"**Should we still say those phrases Boss taught us?" **The twins asked aloud.

"I think the effect is lost now." Kyoya murmured.

"Is Tama-chan asleep?" Honey tilted his head curiously as he kneeled down and poked his cheek. The only response he got was a twitch of the leg.

Kaname ignored them and pinned the male doctor with deadly glare, causing him to stiffen and look up at him in fear. "Speak." He demanded.

"P-please, it wasn't what you think!" He pleaded as he quickly crawled off of Tamaki, accidently kicking him in the face in his haste, and bowed to them until his forehead touched the ground. "Spare me!"

Kaname's glare deepened, promising pain if he didn't identify himself soon. This man had not only went to Haruhi when she was undressing, but he injured Tamaki?

"I'm a doctor," the man began to tell his life story. "I run a small clinic in a nearby town. My name is Yabu."

Getting the information he wanted, Kaname promptly ignored the rest of his story. He now saw the doctor did not mean any harm and his mind turned to other matters. Closing his eyes, he thought about all the trouble his charge had involuntarily caused. Including his current internal dilemma. Should he confess his true identity to her? Or should he continue to portray as a human boy to ensure her safety from his generally vicious world? Simply because there were not as many youkai running freely as in the Feudal Era did not mean he does not get into battles to ensure his Alpha status or any of the duties that come with the title.

He blinked out of his thoughts when he felt a large hand settle on his head. He glanced up into steel gray eyes holding a hint of worry.

"I'm fine." Kaname answered his unspoken question. It still surprised him that Mori even noticed such small changes in his disposition. He guessed it had to do with their somewhat similar demeanors.

"Good." Mori smiled slightly and playfully ruffled his hair. Kaname sighed in remembrance, the treatment always calmed him and reminded him of the days when Kouga was alive. Another dilemma he knew he would be faced with soon that he honestly didn't know the answer to..

* * *

><p>Kaname stood beside Mori as they all watched Dr. Yabu from the open window. Tamaki had asked Kyoya to give the man a map of all the public schools in the area in order to help the doctor find his daughter. The doctor turned to give a final bow in thanks before continuing down the path with a smile.<p>

"Are you sure about this?" Hikaru spoke up.

"After all, even if he manages to find his daughter, there's no guarantee that she'll speak to him." Kaoru added.

Tamaki sighed and gave a soft smile. "That's just something he'll have to find out on his own."

"Hmm…" The corner of Kaname's lips tilted up and he reached over and gave Tamaki a small pat in praise. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise before the mature expression he held earlier melted into a childlike grin as he preened under the older male's attention. Kaname had to sigh at that. That moment of maturity didn't last long.

"Gomen, you guys." Haruhi spoke up. "But could you please leave?" Everyone, but Kaname, gave a small gasp of shock and stepped away from her.

"Haruhi?" Tamaki said unsurely. "Are you still angry with me? You're not thinking of quitting the Host Club, are you?" He asked in despair.

"Don't be stupid, sempai." Haruhi laughed. "I just have to finish my physical exam." She turned her head to look at them with a smile. "As a male student, of course."

Everyone gave smiles in relief at her words, while Tamaki tried to relax from the small panic attack he almost had when he thought his 'daughter' was quitting on them.

"But, I'm not doing this because you're bribing me with food," Haruhi told me before smiling. "I'm doing it to repay my debt."

"You're so cute, musume!" Tamaki cried out as he tackled Haruhi in a hug.

"We can see right through you!" Hikaru grinned as he pushed Tamaki out of the way and hugged Haruhi, nuzzling his cheek affectionately against hers. Tamaki was left to go to the nearest corner and sulk.

"We know you just want some ootoro!" Kaoru teased with his own grin as he embraced her as well and cuddled against her face, leaving Haruhi to be squeezed in between two mischievous twins.

"Ah!" She gave a shout in surprise and unsuccessfully attempted to struggle out of their grasps. "Cut it out, you two!" she yelled in frustration. She suddenly gasped. "Hey! Don't touch me there!" A looming shadow caused them to pause and look up. The twins gulped nervously while Haruhi gave a pleading look.

"You little perverts." Kaname muttered with a glare as he easily lifted them by the back of their collars before tossing them in a nearby corner of the room. They grunted in pain as they landed on the ground in a jumble of limbs with swirls as their eyes. "Time out." He told them simply.

"**Wha?" **They blinked in confusion.

"Sulk." He demanded with a deadly glare. They nodded frantically and immediately turned to face the corner while hugging their knees. A dark aura settled around them as it finally registered to them that they were actually being punished.

"Thank you, Kaname-sempai!" Tamaki cried out with grateful tears. He snickered at the turn of events. Finally he wasn't the one in the corner of woe!

"Would you guys just GET OUT!" Haruhi finally yelled in irritation.

"Hmm…" Kaname nodded and once again picked up the gloomy twins before walking out of the room. "You're lucky I don't beat you both." He told the twins absently, making them pale. "But you're still being punished." They pouted and hung limp in his grasp as he walked out the door. Tamaki and Honey followed behind, giggling, along with a smirking Kyoya and smiling Mori. There's never a dull moment with the Ouran Host Club.

* * *

><p><strong>To clear things up:<strong>

**- Emiko is the daughter of Shiori and Hakkaku**

**- Oba-chan means aunt. Do not confuse it with obaachan (grandma)**

**-Yes, Mori is starting to have some weird thoughts about Kaname (Kagome) and confused about it.**

**-No, Kaname doesn't really pay attention to Mori's flustered state besides teasing him, because he's more focused on being there for Haruhi and the things in his own life. But he will soon!**

**-Yes, this story seems like a Kaname(Kagome)/Haruhi. Someone before commented on that and I've seriously considered it. But i already had this story created and set to be a Kaname(Kagome)/Mori that it would mess up the entire story if I change the pairing.**

**-No, Haruhi CANNOT be paired with Tamaki since in this story, Tamaki is the reincarnation of her ancestor ****and therefore, the _same_ soul . I'm sorry to disappoint those who wished them to be together, but personally? I think they've been paired up in basically every story and it's time to give the other hosts a chance !**

**-The pole is still open to vote for who Haruhi should be with. But it will close soon. So far, votes say Kyoya should be with Haruhi !**

**-I apologize to any Hitachiin Brothers Fans if the events in my story upset you, but it's all in good fun between them :)**

**-It will be a LONG while until Kagome comes out in the open to the entire host club about everything she's hiding. When she does, expect the plot to thicken with an unexpected twist!**

**Please review and thank you to all my loyal readers and reviewers !**

** *Chibi Taisho**


	7. The Nuisance That Is Renge

**Disclaimer: ** I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

'_Thoughts'_

_**Past Life Memories**  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>A little six year old boy stood pouting atop a small stool before a full length three-way mirror. He gazed at his reflection and fidgeted in the elegant black silk kimono he was forced into. His pout grew more pronounced as he tugged on the puffy sleeves where violet flower designs were expertly sown, in an attempt to get comfortable in the slightly constricting clothing.<strong>_

"_**There's no need to sulk, young master." A calm feminine voice said amusedly as gentle fingers ran through his shoulder length brown hair with a comb before tying it back in a low ponytail.**_

"_**But it's so uncomfortable!" He whined. "Why do we have to dress up like this again?"**_

"_**Your okaasan, along with her pack, were requested to attend a royal dinner alongside the Western Lord." She told him patiently as she appeared kneeled before him to slip on his black boots.**_

"_**Oji-sama?" He blinked curiously. Receiving a nod from the brown haired woman, he grinned in anticipation. "That means I get to see onee-chan!"**_

"_**Hai." She nodded, her pale green eyes filling with mirth at his sudden change in attitude, as she stood and moved away to grab an item. "But you must be on your best behavior, young master. You would not want to embarrass your okaasan, correct?"**_

"_**I promise to be good!" He pledged seriously, a determined gleam in his violet eyes. He blinked as a thought suddenly came to him. "Where is mama?"**_

"_**Milady is getting dressed in her room by the other handmaids," she informed him as she once again appeared before him with a black and violet silk obi in hand. "As you know, it takes time to dress oneself in a twelve layered formal kimono. Milady never expresses complaints regarding the attire, however we both know she is as displeased as you are at the moment." She laughed softly as she tied the obi firmly to rest against his naval.**_

"_**And what about onii-chan?" He inquired as he decidedly stopped squirming in his clothes knowing his mama had it worse. He tilted his head in confusion when she began laughing to herself. **_

"_**Ah, your onii-chan. He had been the first to be dressed and ready early today. Sadly, after setting up a practical joke intended for one of the guards, Milady's neko youkai unexpectedly walked into it." She told him as she did the finishing touches. "Your onii-chan ended up being chased throughout the castle by a yellow slime covered neko, who was very much upset since she had recently cleaned her fur. It was quite the sight." She chuckled softly. "In the end, his kimono was left shredded and covered in not only yellow slime, but with flower petals from when he had attempted to hide within the gardens and he was forced to shower and dress once more." **_

_**He giggled at the picture he was given, now understanding why his onii-chan had gone missing after his studies.**_

"_**There we are. All finished." She smiled as she stepped back from him and surveyed her work. She then glanced at the door before gazing back at him, her smile widening a degree. "And just in time. Milady is coming."**_

Tamaki opened his eyes with a soft smile as he finished replaying his most recent dream. He absently heard his guests swoon over his sudden expression as he shifted in his chair and elegantly crossed his legs in his golden kimono. The Host Club's theme for today was inspired by the very dream he had just been pondering. He had been quite excited to be able to compose one of his visions into reality and, in a sense, share it with his closest friends, even if they themselves did not know it. It also pleased him to know that theses dreams were occurring on a regular basis, though they were still only short glimpses, all of which star the same familiar brunette child. Although he is still no closer to discovering their meaning, he was beginning to accept this unknown aspect of his life, no matter how unbelievably supernatural it may seem. The more scenes he is shown, the more his anticipation and excitement rises.

Abrupt squeals forced him out his thoughts and his smile widened at the sight that caused such reactions. Calmly walking by his hosting station, was Kaname, dressed in a pure white Kimono with silver lining. Powder blue snowflakes that gradually darkened to a vibrant azure at the pattern's center were scattered among the silk fabric while a silver obi held the kimono closed and sandals adorned his feet as his loosely tied raven hair swayed behind him. All in all, the outfit suited him as he walked with a natural grace only held by royalty from the older eras. Tamaki vaguely entertained that idea as he noticed how comfortable Kaname appeared in the attire. He blinked his violet eyes when he suddenly felt a gentle poke to his forehead and gazed up from his seated position to the very person he had just been thinking of.

"What?" Tamaki inquired in slight confusion.

"You were staring at me," Kaname playfully probed his forehead again. "Were you thinking of me?"

"N-no!" Tamaki denied, flushing in embarrassment at being caught. Kaname lifted a challenging brow, both knowing he was lying. "I just thought you looked good in your kimono!" Tamaki admitted. His eyes widened as his guests began whispering excitedly at watching the 'The Princely Host' compliment the 'Mysterious Host,' even hearing mentionings of 'yaoi.' "B-but not in _that_ way!" He hastily added while frantically shaking his hands in front of him. He was sure his face had never been so red in mortification. "I w-would _never_ think that way about you, musuko!"

"Thanks." The corner of Kaname's lip tilted up in amusement at his antics as he retracted his hand. "I'm curious though... Why do you refer to me as musuko?"

"Eh?" Tamaki blinked a few times before he stood from his seat with a smile. "Because here at the Host Club, we are more than just friends!" Flowers bloomed around him as he motioned with a dramatic wave around the room. "We are a family! And you are one of my precious children!" He gave a dazzling smile as he pointed at the stoic male.

"But I'm older than you," Kaname pointed out blankly, instantly causing Tamaki to deflate and go to the nearest corner to sulk. _'By centuries,_' he mentally added. "That should make you my musuko." He stated logically.

"So... you're my otousan...?" Tamaki looked away from his dark corner to peek at him over his shoulder with hopeful eyes.

"I suppose..."

"Yay~!" Tamaki cheered while throwing his arms in the air, looking much like a child. "I have two otousans!" He suddenly began running back to Kaname in slow motion through a pink, bubble filled background, arms wide and tears of delight in his eyes. "Otousan~!"

"..." Kaname resisted the urge to twitch at the display. By now, everyone's attention was fully settled on them. Sighing silently through his nose, he decided to humor the blonde and opened his arms just as Tamaki threw his entire weight onto him. Despite the fact that Tamaki was taller than the raven host, Kaname effortlessly held him up by wrapping his arms around the blonde's waist as Tamaki hugged the shorter male's shoulders and giggled happily.

**"AAHHH~!" **The scarlet faced females who had not already feinted in bliss, screamed in absolute delight as hearts quickly filled the room.

"That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

"Such a rare moment!"

"It's so touching to know how close they are!"

**"You know~," **The Hitachiin Brothers appeared with mischievous smirks beside the two males when they separated. They were both dressed in matching dark blue kimonos decorated with various colorful flowers.

"If Tamaki's the otousan for the Host Club," Hikaru began while pointing at a curious Tamaki.

"And you're now Tamaki's otousan," Kaoru added pointing at an expressionless Kaname. "That means..." Said raven male tensed the slightest bit, knowing _exactly_ where they were going with this as both Hikaru and Kaoru enveloped him in an embrace.

**"You're our ojii-san~!"**

This time, Kaname's eyebrow did twitch lightly in irritation. Sure, he had grandpups who called him by his proper family title as a grandparent, but that was among pack. What these two were insinuating, even if they were mostly unaware, was that he was old. And he was not old! By youkai standards, he has yet to even reach his prime and the equivalent of only eighteen human years!

"Hey," Haruhi walked over to the them in her pink flower embroidered, lilac kimono. She noticed the subtle signs of annoyance the stoic male was giving. "You two should stop before-"

"Don't," Kaname gave a soft hiss as he grasped both the ginger's heads before quickly knocking them together, earning twin yelps of pain. "Call me that." He finished as he forcefully ground they heads together harshly.

"-Kaname gets mad," Haruhi finished with an exasperated sigh.

"Don't just stand there and watch!" Hikaru exclaimed, his scalp burning with pain, as he unsuccessfully attempted to push the male's hand away and squirm out of his grip.

"Help us!" Kaoru added in a similar state.

"Hmm," Tamaki pretended to think about it as he brought a hand to his chin and gazed up at the ceiling in thought. "I don't know..." He glanced down at Haruhi standing beside him, a smile teasing his lips. "Should we?"

"No." She gave a small laugh as Hikaru and Kaoru gapped at them in disbelief. "They got themselves into this so they should be able to get themselves out."

"Kame-chan! Kame-chan!"

Honey's sudden wail caused Kaname to stop in his actions and release the twins, who hastily retreated behind Haruhi for protection. The stoic male turned towards the sound of rapid footfalls in time to catch the diminutive blonde as he jumped at him. Was everyone going to throw themselves at him today?

"Mitsukuni?" Kaname shifted Honey to sit on his forearm more comfortably in order to see his face without his light yellow flowered, green and salmon kimono getting in the way.

"It's the worst thing that can possibly happen, Kame-chan!" Honey cried despairingly as he fisted his small hands in the white silk. "We," He bit his lip as large tears gathered at the corner of his eyes. "DON'T HAVE CAKE!" He blurted out at once before burying his face in the taller male's shoulder. Kaname blinked in surprise and gently patted the blonde's back to soothe him. No cake today?

"Mitsukuni." Takashi caught both their attention as he walked towards them, dressed in his simple dark blue kimono. He rested a calming hand on the diminutive boy's head. "I ordered more cake. It will be here soon."

"B-but," Honey pulled back from his hiding spot enough to rub a watery eye. "I-I want cake now..."

"Then you can have mine," Kaname stated as he pointed to a low table holding various types of pastries. His customers still often brought him treats to stay his good graces and in turn spend more time with him.

"R-really?" Receiving a nod, Honey beamed with happy tears in his eyes and embraced him tightly. "Thank you, Kame-chan!"

**"Eeeeeh~!"**

"That's so sweet!"

"He's so kind to Honey!"

"He may act indifferent, but it's obvious he cares!"

Kaname gave a small grimace as he continued to hear the squabbling females and placed Honey on the floor, watching as he immediately bolted towards the sweets. He blinked as a large hand settled on his head and glanced up to see Mori gazing down at him with a small, grateful smile.

"Hn." Kaname switched his attention back to Honey, who was now eagerly devouring a chocolate cupcake. Mori's smile only widened and he ruffled his hair, the silky blue hued strands slipping smoothly through his fingers. He paused in his treatment and retracted his hand as he suddenly realized something.

"You're not going to eat with Honey?" Mori asked as he took a quick glance towards a content Honey before gazing back at the shorter male in question.

"Not today. I have to leave early."

_'Leave early?'_ Mori repeated mentally. Yet before he could question further, another voice caught the stoic male's attention.

"Kaname." Said male glanced towards the sound of his name to Kyoya, who was elegantly seated on a pillow and writing in an old fashioned book with a brush instead of his usual black notebook to fit with the setting. "You booked another appointment. It seems both you and Haruhi have had a steady flow of customers." He told him with a pleasant smile. "At this rate, the debt will be payed off quickly. Keep up the good work," His smile turned into a smirk. "Ojii-san..."

"..." Kaname clenched his teeth momentarily in annoyance before calmly walking towards the seated male and crouching down until he was eye level in front of him. "You enjoy testing my patience."

"What would make you think that, sempai?" Kyoya inquired with an ever present smirk as he paused in his writing.

"Do not call me ojii-san," Kaname ignored his question and narrowed his eyes at the male. Kyoya seemed to always find entertainment in causing him any degree of frustration.

"But you said it yourself that you are Tamaki's otousan and as a result, become our ojii-" The spectacles wearing man stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he was abruptly pulled by the front of his simple brown kimono to come face to face with the indifferent male.

"You're a very arrogant young man," Kaname stated nonchalantly.

"And you have a short temper for an ojii-san," Kyoya recovered with another smirk teasing his lips, hiding any signs of discomfort from the close proximity.

"..." The corner of Kaname's lips tilted upwards marginally as he slowly released his grip before standing back to his full height. Without a word, he turned and took a few steps away from the seated male. "By the way," He halted and looked over his shoulder at a smirking Kyoya. "Thanks for the photos." He raised an arm, his kimono sleeve sliding down, to reveal the back of a small stack of photos held between his pointer and middle finger. He gave a small smirk when the spectacled male's eyes widened in shock. "I've always wanted a few adorable photos of Haruhi." Amusement filled his eyes as Kyoya flipped to the back of his book where the photos had been hidden before Kaname had stealthily snatched them up while Kyoya was distracted during their exchange of words. Raising a kit did have quite a few skillful benefits. Satisfied with the aggravated glare he was receiving, Kaname hid the pictures within the folds of his kimono and walked away before Kyoya could utter another word.

Kaname stolled by Haruhi and Tamaki, vaguely hearing them arguing about genuine tears, and headed towards his station where Honey was tiredly resting in Mori's arms, a table of empty boxes and plates situated behind them.

"He ate it all?" Kaname asked curiously. _'He ate them faster than usual...'_ Honey must have really wanted some sweets._  
><em>

"No." Honey lifted his head off of Mori's shoulder with a sleepy yawn. "I saved those for you." He pointed to a group of untouched pastries resting at the end of the low table. Before Kaname could respond, Honey reached out and grasped his kimono sleeve. Tugging on it gently, he urged the raven host closer, which he quietly obeyed. "Thanks again for sharing with me, Kame-chan." He gave him a sleepy, yet genuinely happy smile.

"..." Kaname lifted his free hand and gently ran his fingers through his soft blonde hair. "Sleep. You're tired." He received another tired smile and a small nod before Honey rested his head back on Mori's shoulder and quickly fell asleep to the comforting warmth of his cousin and the soothing touch of his closest friend.

Mori watched their interactions with a small smile. It was rare for Kaname to show such a gentle side to him. By the subtle softening in his blue eyes, he was certain his friend already cared for his cousin.

"He reminds me of him..." Kaname hummed in thought as he absently continued his ministrations.

"Him...?" Mori repeated curiously. Although both he and Honey were friends with the stoic male, closer than any of the rest of the hosts aside from Haruhi are, Kaname never opened up about his past. There were only a sparse few times times he gave vague comments such as when Honey had curiously asked who had taught him the art of combat. He had received a simple, short response of 'my older siblings.' And by the tone he had used, it had been obvious he did not want them to push the subject.

Mori waited patiently to see if he would get a response, watching as Kaname narrowed his eyes as if contemplating whether or not to go further. Finally, Kaname gave a quiet sigh and lifted his head to gaze into his own steel gray orbs.

"A boy. He's like a son," _'He **is** my son,'_ he mentally corrected. He spared a glance at Honey. "They act alike, especially with their sweet tooth's." An almost undecipherably soft smile formed on his lips.

"Did you raise him?" Mori inquired, having a feeling it was the case. He was proven right when he received a single small nod of confirmation. It was quiet for a moment as he realized Kaname was not going to go into detail about the matter.

"It's funny..." Kaname commented aloud as he retracted his hand from the blonde tresses and slowly lifted his other arm to gently grasp the small wrist connected to the fingers that still held a tight grip on his kimono sleeve. "At times, he asks when i will give him more siblings." His son was a kitsune, and by nature, loved large families. Add in the fact that he was raised by wolf youkai, who also loved large packs. It was only logical for Shippo to often ask if he will get any more brothers and sisters.

_'More...?'_ Mori thought confusedly. Did that mean he already had siblings?

"But I don't want to deal with pregnancy. At least not without the right person." He confessed quietly as he carefully massaged the tight appendage, watching as the fist slowly began to loosen up. He sighed inaudibly, ignoring the familiar ache in his chest that came with remembering his deceased mate.

"Ah." Mori nodded in understanding. He himself wouldn't want to impregnate a female while still in high school so it was understandable that Kaname would want to wait until he finds a female he loved before considering to have a child. He shifted his weight in sudden discomfort. The thought of Kaname with a woman and starting a family didn't sit well with him.

"It would be easier if I just introduced Honey to him," Kaname continued as he finally managed to relax Honey's hand and placed it to rest comfortably beside his head on Mori's shoulder. "They could be brothers." He smiled slightly to himself before it twisted into a teasing smirk as he lifted his gaze to look back into steel gray. "Then that would make us their gay fathers." He joked, since to him it always appeared like more of a father-son relationship instead of a cousin-ly bond by how much Mori looks after the diminutive blonde.

"!" Mori's face quickly gained a modest blush. A peaceful picture of him and Kaname sitting alongside one another on a grassy hill while a giggling Honey played with another little boy nearby came to mind and he felt his already reddened cheeks deepen. He hastily looked away from those amused blue eyes as he mentally shook the image from his brain. What he didn't expect was for those orbs to once again appear in his line of vision when Kaname stepped around to face him.

"Hmm..." Kaname hummed in thought as he lifted his hand and gently placed it atop of the other male's colored cheek. The action caused Mori's eyes to widen in surprise and the blush that had been steadily disappearing to return full force. This was the first time Kaname had ever initiated contact with the taller male. Despite Mori's obvious maturity and excellent capabilities within battle, he was still raised in a fairly sheltered life within the safety of luxury and money. With a few blunt words and teasing, Mori became easily flustered, at least that was the case for him that is. And he found the taller male's genuine reactions to him oddly... refreshing compared to youkais' generally forward, and often, audacious behavior. He gave a small smirk of amusement and pulled his hand back enough to playfully poke a flushed cheek. "Cute..."

"!" Mori once again felt his face heat up at the unexpected attention he was receiving and immediately looked away in an attempt to hide his reaction. It was the only thing he could do since Honey was still resting in his arms.

"NO!" A sudden feminine shout caught both their attention in time to see an unfamiliar honey-brown haired female dressed in the ugly yellow uniform dress harshly slap a shocked Tamaki across the face. "DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU PHONY!"

All the hosts blinked in surprise at the female's actions.

"Haruhi," Kaname called the disguised female that was standing not to far away. "What just happened?"

"I don't know," She shrugged unsurely as she looked back at the the scene before them. "Apparently she's a new guest and when Tamaki welcomed her, she just slapped him."

"STUPID!" The female yelled as she pointed at a stunned Tamaki, a glare in her light brown eyes. "You must be a dimwitted NARCISSIST!" She continued yelling insults at him. Honey gave a small whimper in his sleep at the loud noise. "You're INCOMPETENT!" With each insult, an arrow appeared, sharply piercing a dazed Tamaki somewhere in his body and causing him to flail about dramatically. "A COMMONOR!" The rest of the hosts could only continue to watch in bewilderment, unsure of what exactly to do. Meanwhile, Kaname's hands tightened into fists, remembering long ago when he was on the receiving end of similar verbal abuse. Even if it was centuries ago, he **never **allowed anyone to be treated in a similar fashion and as far as he knew, Tamaki did nothing to deserve such treatment. He glanced over as Mori reassuringly squeezed Honey when the small blonde gave another whimper and began squirming in his arms. "You're DISGUS-"

"Enough!" Kaname's low, authoritative voice caused a heavy silence to permeate the room. Honey's movements abruptly ended as the yelling ceased and he returned to a peaceful rest as Mori placed a calming hand on his blonde head. Kaname gave a small nod in response to Mori's expression as the tall male silently conveyed his gratitude for his actions. The raven male ignored the shocked stares boring into his person as he began walking towards the fallen 'Host King.' "Enough dramatics, Tamaki," he easily lifted the blonde to his feet by the back of his kimono as if he were a pup. "Remember what I told you. I'm leaving after I've changed." He received a hesitant nod from Tamaki, who was still somewhat dazed over what just happened, before he began walking towards the prep room. But not before cutting a sharp glare towards the frozen, unknown female standing near the entrance of the club, earning a surprised squeak as she took an unconscious step away from him.

**"Hey boss," **The twins appeared beside Tamaki with curious expressions. **"What did Kaname-sempai tell you?"**

"Oh," Tamaki blinked out of his state and looked to the ceiling while absently placing a hand to his chin. "He said he was leaving early today." He shrugged. "I said it was alright as long as he told me ahead of time."

"Did he, by chance, tell you why?" Kyoya inquired, a bit irritated that this was the first he had heard of this.

"He said his family needed him," he looked towards Haruhi. "Right, Haruhi?"

"Hai."

Tamaki's eyes suddenly lit up as if remembering something and he smiled joyfully, obviously back to his usual cheerful self. He then pointed dramatically at the disguised female with a determined glint in his violet eyes. "He also told me it was now my duty to look after Haruhi in his absence!" After his proclamation, he eagerly enveloped said female in a tight embrace. "Don't worry Haruhi! Otousan will stay with you until Kaname-otou returns!"

"E-eh! Cut it out, sempai!" Haruhi began struggling in his grasp. "I don't think Kaname-kun meant it literally! I can take care of myself, you know!"

"..." Mori's eyes turned away from the scene to gaze towards the prep room. He wondered curiously what could have happened with Kaname's family that they would need him to leave the club early today. His brow creased in slight worry. He hoped it was nothing dire.

* * *

><p><em>'So <em>_tedious...' _Kagome thought as she leaned back in her office chair and looked out the ceiling-to-floor window that covered an entire wall of her office, presenting a clear view of the city. Crossing her legs, her creaseless black pant suit shifting with the movement, she continued to stare blankly at the scenery. She had left the Host Club early today to arrive at Ookami Industries and allow her more time to tackle the piles of neglected paperwork she knew was waiting on her desk and interview all the candidates Shippo had regarded as acceptable for the position as her assistant. There were not many, no more than five, who had passed Shippo's inspection. Her son had told her that a few of the applicants had even been sent as spies for other companies and how he had great fun picking them apart and flushing them out.

At the moment, with her work finished, she was left to wait for either a new mountain of paperwork to be sent in or for the last interviewee to arrive. Which should be, she glanced at her silver wrist watch, right about-

A knock came from her door.

Now. Good. Punctuality was a must in this line of work.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, bringing with it a scent that made Kagome instantly freeze. Iris flowers. _'It can't be... I'm not _this _lucky...' _She remained facing the window wall, listening intently as soft footfalls came closer behind her before hesitantly stopping to stand in front of her desk.

"Konnichiwa, Higurashi-sama."

"Amaya Hayashi. Konnichiwa" Kagome's fingers clenched briefly. The _voice_ was even the same.

She took a moment to compose herself, her expression a mask of indifference, and slowly turned her seat to face her desk properly. Her eyes instantly connected with green, almost gray orbs and watched as they widened in surprise before it quickly morphed into a combination of confusion and wonder. She subtly scrutinized the female before her, taking in her black single, belted sheath dress and matching low heels. Her raven hair was pulled up into a neat bun, presenting a naturally pretty face that appeared no older than nineteen. Overall, the young woman looked very presentable.

Kagome's nose twitched delicately at the underlying scent of fresh water just as the slightest trace of youki touched her senses. '_Water youkai...' _She made sure to have a tight grip on her own youki, not allowing any to slip her control and reveal her inhumanity.

"Have a seat." She motioned to the chairs placed before her desk. The female immediately snapped out of her slight daze at the sound of her voice and sat down, placing her purse on the floor, before folding her hands neatly on her lap.

"In your resume..." Kagome glanced down at the single sheet of paper resting on her desk. "It states you have previous experience as a secretary?" She asked, getting straight to the point.

"Hai." Amaya nodded as she sat up straighter. "The day I came of age, I began working for a small clinic."

"It says you also volunteered there before then."

"Hai. Since they couldn't legally hire me until i was older, I helped in organizing files or answering phone calls."

"You're very independent." Kagome surmised in veiled approval. "And the youngest applicant I have interviewed." She mentally chuckled. This female could very well be at least a century old and most likely held more experience than the other candidates she met today. But that was beside the point. She had to remain professional. Although all she really had to do was pick one applicant she liked out of the five she interviewed. "But why should I give you the position? A very demanding job in a first-rate company?" She lifted a challenging brow as she looked for any signs of weakness.

"Well..." She breathed in deeply, resisting the urge to squirm under the intense gaze, before her eyes gained a determined glint. "Despite my young appearance, I am a very mature woman who is capable of handling the pressures that come with this job." She stated confidently.

"Skills are not the only traits I am searching for Hayashi-san," Kagome commented casually as she turned her chair halfway to gaze back out the window to the surrounding buildings. "I have to know you can be trusted with possible confidential documents and information."

Amaya's eyes widened in realization and she gave a small smile. "I understand your concerns, Higurashi-sama and I would like to assure you," Her expression turned serious as she tried to convey her sincerity. "If you give me the chance, my loyalties will lie solely on Ookami Industries."

"..." Kagome glanced at her from the corner of her eye. The resolution she found in those grey, green eyes caused her to give a small hum in amusement. _'Stubborn in both lives...' _

She made her decision.

"When can you start?"

"I..." Amaya blinked a few times in confusion before her eyes widened once again. "I got the job?"

"Hai."

"Then... Is it possible for me to start right now?" She inquired with an excited smile.

"Very well." She grabbed the notepad resting on the corner of her desk and quickly wrote something down before ripping the page out. She then opened one of the cabinets of her desk and pulled out a manilla folder and placed the note inside and handed it to Amaya. "Take that to Shippo down the hall. He will give you two piles of paperwork. One that must be given to me and the other you must organize by date into the filing system." She gave a small wave towards the door. "Your desk will be right outside my office. If by chance, someone comes for me, please knock before you enter and alert me of their presence."

"Of course." Amaya snatched up her purse, clutching the file carefully to her chest and bowed. "Thank you so much for the opportunity, Higurashi-sama! You will not regret your decision!" She promised as she straightened with a eager smile and left to start her first, unexpected day of work.

"..." Kagome turned her chair around to face the window wall again. "Mischievous kit." The exact phrase she wrote on the note she had sent Amaya to give to Shippo. A smirk found it's way onto her lips as she realized now why he had been so adamant earlier.

**Flashback**

**"You're going to hire her," Shippo grinned confidently while pointing to the last of the resumes lined up on her desk. There was absolutely no doubt in his green eyes, only absolute certainty.**

**"Is that so?" Kagome inquired amusedly as she quickly scanned the paper. It was for a woman named Amaya Hayashi.**

**"Hai!" He have a secretive smirk, making her wonder what he knew about this female.**

**End Flashback**

"Ayame... Amaya... How original..." She leaned back in her chair with a small chuckle. "By Kamis in Heaven, only you would find amusement in twisting fate to send Ayame's reincarnation to my very office."

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>The Next Day<em>

Kaname closed his eyes in boredom as he quietly sat in his chair beside Haruhi. The Host Club was going to start soon and the rest of the members were sitting in a circle, a table holding their cups of tea in the center, and discussing one thing or another. He had been updated earlier by Haruhi of the events that had played out after he had left. The unknown female from yesterday, name Renge Houshakuji, was an avid otaku with delusions of being Kyoya's fiancé. Of course her marriage declarations were discovered to be false, yet somehow Renge had managed to become the 'manager' for the Host Club.

"I've thought about it a lot last night, and maybe having a lady manager isn't such a bad idea." Tamaki announced abruptly.

**"Why do you say that?" **The twins questioned.

"Well it's fairly obvious, isn't it?" He questioned rhetorically. "Renge just transferred into the same class as Haruhi. So if Haruhi has a female companion around, it could bring out the female within her. Renge's girlish air of tenderness might be able to stimulate Haruhi's own sense of femininity."

"Good grief," Haruhi grumbled with a deadpanned expression. He was talking about her as if she wasn't even in the same room as him!

"Now is our chance for Haruhi to get in touch with her feminine side!" He continued as if he didn't hear her, his face the epitome of seriousness. "This is an important project men!" He declared. "Since Kaname is in a different grade as her, she doesn't have any friends in class except for these two shady twins," he pointed at the surprised Hitachiin Brothers. "That's no good for her!"

**"As if you can talk,"** They stated sarcastically with a tilt of their heads.

"Hello, everyone!" Renge greeted with a smile as she opened the room door and took a step in. "Your new manager, Renge," She raised her hands to show something cradled in her hands with a purple napkin. "Has baked you some cookies!" She announced proudly.

"Isn't she lady-like!" Tamaki appeared beside her in a dramatic pose. "I'm so moved by your generosity!" He complimented charmingly.

"I didn't make these for you, phony prince." She muttered. The words 'phony prince' came from the sky and crashed down on top of him, her words sending him to his corner of woe.

Kaname opened a single eye and gazed at Renge in annoyance as she presented her baked goods to Kyoya, hearts fluttering around her blushing form as she swooned and spoke in a high pitched voice to him. Her voice was aggravating his sensitive ears.

"Do you want a cookie, Kame-chan?" Honey asked as he appeared standing beside his seated form, Usa-chan in one arm while his free hand held out a cookie.

"No, thanks." They didn't smell completely right.

Honey nodded in understanding and began nibbling on the treat. "They are a little burnt." He commented aloud.

"Don't eat that, Mitsukuni." Mori appeared hovering over the small blonde. "It's bad for you."

"RAHHH~!" Renge, who had been standing nearby still swooning over Kyoya, screamed angrily as she glared at the two cousins, her hair rising up and turning into hissing snakes.

"WAHH~!" Honey cried out in fright, hugging his bunny tightly. "She's scary!" Mori scooped Honey up into his arms, ready to make a hasty retreat as Renge ran towards them.

From his seat, Kaname gave a small grimace at all the noise and slowly stood to his feet, effectively blocking Renge from her targets and catching her off guard. She gave a small shout of surprise and pain, the snakes on her head falling back to normal strands of hair, as she slammed roughly into his unmoving body.

"Ow..." Renge groaned, her eyes pinched shut, as she placed her hands on the solid object and pulled her face an inch away. It felt like she ran face first into a brick wall.

"Girl." Renge opened her eyes and glanced up from her position. She gasped as she stared right into emotionless blue eyes.. She immediately took a step back, recognizing him as the intimidating host she had somehow angered the day before. "Stop being annoying." She watched as he lifted a hand and pointed at the empty plush red couch nearby. "Sit."

"B-but-"

"Now." His voice demanded obedience despite it's low tone. She gave a small squeak and hastily took a seat on the appointed couch, her back stiff with her clenched hands resting on her knees.

Kaname gave a small nod of approval as he heard Honey and Mori give sighs of relief, Mori's being more silent.

"She's scary when she's mad," Honey stated with wide eyes as he was placed back on his feet. Kaname only hummed in response and lightly patted his head, receiving a giggle at the treatment. He paused after retracting his hand as he felt a large hand settle on his own head and looked up, aloof blue eyes connecting with familiar steel grey. He raised a brow in silent question.

"..." Mori didn't verbalize an answer, his usual blank expression intact. Instead he ruffled his hair in response. The raven male blinked slowly, but remained still, not pulling away from the small show of affection. It resulted in a small smile forming on Mori's lips as he pulled his hand back.

"Hn." Kaname turned away just as Honey commented that he wanted milk with more cookies. He strolled towards where the rest of the hosts stood nearby and stopped alongside Kyoya.

"It seems your skills with the ladies has not improved," Kyoya remarked offhandedly as he turned his head to regard his fellow host. It was obvious he had witnessed the scene that had occurred seconds before with Renge.

"..." Kaname casted a side glance his way. "She's irrelivant to me." His gaze returned to Haruhi as she took an experimental bite on a cookie Renge had baked. Kyoya followed his gaze, taking notice on who it was centered on.

"Yet you consider Haruhi important," the spectacled male pointed out casually, watching him with hidden interest. "Why is that?"

"Hn." His usually cold eyes filled with mirth as he felt Kyoya's aura spike with hidden displeasure over his noncommittal response. He focused back on Haruhi as Hikaru took a bite out of the cookie hanging from her mouth, Kaoru licking her cheek clean of crumbs right after. The twins both gave cheshire grins as Tamaki appeared, ranting about them attempting to seduce his precious 'daughter.' Kaname blinked. They were like kitsune, always finding entertainment by causing a bit of trouble.

"Strange," Kyoya started as he crossed his arms and brought a hand to his chin in thought. "I was certain you would have reacted to their little display."

"I only react if Haruhi is harmed or displeased." Kaname informed, observing Haruhi as she remained unfazed through the twins antics and Tamaki's yelling. "Besides, she can handle them."

"Every single one of you!" Renge's unexpected yell caught everyone's attention, causing them to pause and look to her in surprise as she stood up from her seat. "Except for Kyoya, all of your characters are lukewarm!" She pointed at them with a glare. "Each of you has to have some sort of dark side, understand?" She began ranting. "Girls are vulnerable to troubled, young men. If you keep carrying on like this, it's only a matter of time before the girls will get tired of you and stop coming altogether. Are you trying to ruin my precious Kyoya's business? As your manager, it's my job to change your character backgrounds!"

Kaname's eyes narrowed at the female. Did she have any idea how _annoying_ her voice sounded? Especially when she began screaming unnecessarily. He was quickly beginning to lose his patience with this spoiled girl.

"I'll start with you!" Renge pointed at Honey, causing him to cry out in surprise. "If all you are is cute, inside and out, then you're no different than a baby. Therefore, from now on you're the baby-faced-thug!"

**'The Cute Face, Who's Actually A Thug!'**

"AH~!" Honey screamed in distress, tears gathering on the corner of his eyes.

"Mori-sempai!" She pointed at him next. "You're his life-long friend and follower!"

**'Childhood-Friend, Flunkie!'**

"?" Mori remained expressionless, though Kaname could see dread beginning to form in his eyes.

"The twins," She turned to them. "will be basketball players enslaved in their own world!"

**'Shut Up In Their Own World!'**

**"?!"** Their eyes twitched, unable to form a response to her declaration.

"Haruhi!" Her attention switched to the disguised female. "You're an honor student who is constantly being bullied!"

**'Intense Bullying!'**

"?" Haruhi stared at her in a mixture of shock and apprehension.

"Tamaki!" Her sights swiveled to him. "You're the school idol who's admired for his good looks, but you're actually hiding an inferiority complex! The Lonely Prince!"

**'Lonesome Prince!'**

"!" He froze, only releasing a shocked gasp at her words.

"Kaname!" She looked towards him. "Eep!" She jumped in fright, her earlier courage instantly washing away as he gave a small, threatening growl. She looked down towards the ground submissively, her hair covering her eyes, as she avoided his piercing glare and remembered his previous commands to her.

"Must you continue to treat ladies so menacingly?" Kyoya sighed as he pushed his glasses up with a single digit. "At least attempt to treat this one kindly. Her father is a very important Ootori client."

"Hn."

**"I think she deserved it!" **The twins spoke up after shaking out of their state of shock, obviously upset with what she had dubbed for their character backgrounds. They appeared on either side of Kaname and patted his back in praise. **"Good job, sempai!"**

"..." He only blinked disinterestedly.

"That was..." Renge began in a soft voice, once again catching their attention. "Perfect!" She lifted her head to reveal a delighted smile and starry-eyed stare aimed at Kaname, her hands clasped in front of her chest. She gave a quiet squeal when he lifted a questioning brow. "You already have a dark side, Kaname-sempai." She told him, for once without screeching. "All you're character really has to do is defend your only true friend, Haruhi, against his bullies!" She smiled excitedly.

**'Dark Protector!'**

"..." Kaname by now had dismissed her to gaze at Haruhi's deadpanned face. She returned his blank stare, both silently conveying a message. _'If we have __each other, then maybe we won't become stupid.'_

* * *

><p>Feminine screams of delight filled the arena as Hikaru dribbled a basketball down the court before kicking off the floor, sparkles of light surrounding his determined face, and shooting the ball perfectly into the hoop. The crowd cheered as he began laughing and holding a fist up in victory. The abrupt sound of a whistle blowing caught his attention, making him stop in his celebrating.<p>

"Get a stretcher and take him to the infirmary immediately!" A voice ordered as Hikaru went over to investigate. He gasped at the scene he was presented.

"Kaoru?" He pushed his way through the crowd to his brother, who was lying on the floor in obvious pain as he held his knee. "Kaoru!" He quickly fell to his knees beside him, desperately calling out to his other half. "Kaoru!"

"You have to get back in the game, Hikaru!" A male tried to steer him away.

"Shut up!" He immediately pulled away angrily from his grasp.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru's pained whisper quickly caught Hikaru's attention. "Please don't worry. There's nothing you can do. You can't share my pain." He lifted a hand and tenderly settled it on his cheek. "You're not the one who's hurt. Now, go on."

"I-I can't!" The tears that had been gathering in Hikaru's eyes began slipping down his face as he grasped his brothers hands. "It hurts! It hurts, Kaoru!"

_"Your pain is my pain. It doesn't matter if no one else understands. As long as we have __each other, we can go on."_

The scene somehow switched to the rainy outdoors where Tamaki appeared standing, eyes shadowed by wet bangs and his white long sleeved button up clinging to his skin.

"I'm envious." Tamaki murmured with a sad smile. "The way you two support each other..."

"But, Tamaki-sempai..." Hikaru stared at him in shock.

"How can that be when you're the school idol?" Kaoru finished, equally shocked by the depressing state the blonde was in.

"Idol..." Tamaki raked a hand through his hair to push back the bangs covering his eyes and looked despairingly to the ashen-clouded sky. "I hate that they worship me for something as superficial as appearance." He rested a hand over his heart with a sorrowful sigh.

_"One lonely hearts meets another. They pass each other, wounding one another. What are the hearts of these young men made of?"_

Haruhi ran, panting for breath as her hasty steps through puddles of rain soaked her already sodden clothes. She stopped by a tree, leaning her arms against it for support, as she bowed her head and attempted to catch her breath.

"You can't run forever."

The scornful voice caused her to stiffen and glance over her shoulder in fear. Her eyes widened to see her pursuer, and she swiftly stepped around the tree, attempting to once again flee. There was still hope! She just had to find him!

She released a gasp as she tripped over a stray tree root in her haste and screwed her eyes shut as dread filled her stomach for the fall that would lead to her impending doom. But instead of feeling a falling sensation, she felt a pair of hands grasp her shoulders and gently pull her to a firm chest. She opened her eyes, hoping the person holding her was who she thought it was.

"Kaname-kun..."She breathed out, relief filling her doe brown eyes as she saw the person was her only friend and protector. He gazed down at her impassively, not caring that his entire form was damp with rain, and tenderly brushed her sodden hair from her eyes.

"How sweet," the voice spoke again as he stepped forward, revealing it to be Honey, his head lowered, while Mori appeared not far behind him. "That you actually think you can save him." He smirked.

"..." Kaname only gazed at them detachedly. He released Haruhi, allowing her to hide behind him for protection, and slipped his hands in his pockets.

"You need to stop, Mitsukuni." Mori advised, gazing down at the smaller male from the corner of his eyes. "You know when you hurt others, you're really only hurting yourself."

"I didn't ask you, Takashi." Honey declared authoritatively with a frown, effectively silencing the male. "Do you want to take their pain for them instead?"

_"Will the light of salvation await these boys? Or will it be something else...?"_

"It really pisses me off when people don't know their place." Honey smirked again and raised his head to reveal narrowed honey-brown eyes filled with anger aimed towards them. "...!" His face quickly melted to a saddened expression as tears filled his large eyes. "WAHH~!" He cried out as he threw himself into Kaname's arms, wrapping his own arms tightly around his shoulders and burying his face in his neck. "Gomennasai, Kame-chan, Haru-chan! I don't want to do this anymore!"

"CUT!" Renge screamed in outrage, the snakes on her head hissing in displeasure. The darkness and rain from the scenery dissipated to reveal sunlight as the surrounding film crew stopped what they were doing. It looked like an actual movie shoot. "Cut! Cut! Cut!" The snakes on her head fell back to normal strands of hair. "What's wrong with you!?" She yelled at Honey, waving her arms angrily. "You have to stick to the script!"

"B-but I can't!" Honey wailed.

Renge huffed in response and turned towards the film crew, giving all of them different orders to make the scene 'more tragic.'

Kaname resisted the urge to punch a tree at the annoying situation he found himself in as he walked out of the movie setting, absently patting Honey's back to calm the distraught boy down. The only reason he had even agreed to this was because he was told all he really had to do was stand there.

"I'm going to go find out why there's a whole film crew here," Haruhi muttered as she walked towards where the Hitachiin brothers were sitting in fold out chairs with Kyoya standing and scribbling in his black book behind them. Though, they both knew the answer to that question. _Rich bastards._

"I don't want to be the mean guy anymore, Kame-chan!" Honey sniffled as Kaname placed him in a fold out chair already set up for them.

"Then don't." He replied simply as he grabbed the towel resting on the back of the chair. He placed it on the blonde's head and gently began rubbing the soft material on his hair to rid some of the excess water.

"Renge-chan will get mad." Honey held still under the taller male's attention. "She's scary when she's mad." He shivered at the thought.

"Mitsukuni." Mori appeared beside them, a towel around his neck and another in his hand. He had removed his blue uniform jacket, his damp white button up sticking to his skin while his black tie hung loosely. "They brought cake." He looked away towards the table holding an assortment of pastries of all sizes and flavors. More than likely, Mori was trying to cheer the diminutive host up from his earlier sadness.

"They did?!" He immediately perked up and turned his sights towards the same direction. His eyes widened at the sheer amount, gaining a definite sparkle of excitement. "Cake!" He smiled happily and bolted towards the cavity-inducing treats, the towel on his head sliding down to rest around his shoulders.

"Hmm..." Kaname hummed in amusement as he gathered his damp hair and began wringing out as much moisture as he could. The fat drops of water only added to the small puddle that had already been forming under his feet from his still dripping clothes. He paused as something soft settled on his head and glanced up at Mori. A white towel was resting on Kaname's head, Mori's large hand settled atop of it.

"... Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Mori pulled his hand back and took a quick glimpse in Honey's direction. Satisfied to see his cousin gleefully devouring slices of cake, he looked back at his quiet friend. Kaname's eyes were currently being shielded by the towel as he massaged the white cloth on his head, leaving the bottom portion of his hair to remain wet. He gave a small hum as he stepped closer to the smaller male and pulled the towel that had been resting around his own shoulders. Gently grasping the ends of the long raven hair, he wraped the fairly dry cotton material around it and gingerly began rubbing the moist strands. They felt much softer than he thought they could feel on a man like Kaname.

"...?" He ceased in his actions when the shorter host instantly stiffened at the contact. Did he not like his hair being touched? Kaname's towel moved in his peripheral vision and Mori raised his eyes to gaze into sapphire eyes holding hidden traces of surprise.

"...Hn." Kaname blinked slowly before looking away and leisurely returning to towel drying his head. He felt his hair gently being lifted behind him as Mori returned to his task of helping in drying the long locks as well.

It was strange, allowing someone to help 'groom' him, a task that is only performed between pack mates or actual mates. Until now, **no one** outside of family had done so. On occasion, Honey had run a hand through his hair, but he viewed the boy more like a pup than anything else. The same would be considered for Haruhi, for he already considered her pack. Takashi...? The tall male had caught him completely off guard with his actions. _'He is human...'_ He had to remind himself to forget youkai traditions and customs while in disguise _as _a human among humans.

"You should take your clothes off." Mori advised.

"... I'm flattered you want to see me naked, Takashi." Kaname murmured, eyes alight with mirth. Settling the towel around his neck, he glanced over his shoulder at the male.

"!" Mori's cheeks instantly reddened as he realized how his words could be misconstrued. He stepped back with his towel in hand, allowing the silken strands to fall back into place, and turned his head away with an embarrassed cough. He glanced back at the amused male from the corner of his eye. "I meant to change." He moved his head to once again face him, his expression serious as he looked him in the eye. "You could get sick."

"... I'll be fine." Kaname elegantly lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. Youkai were rarely plagued by illness, much less a common cold.

"..." Mori gave a small frown, appearing uncertain.

"I'll be fine." He repeated confidently. He looked away, spotting a familiar female sitting alone in a fold out chair before glancing back at Mori. "If i get sick," he began strolling away in the direction towards Haruhi. "Then you can take care of me." He proposed jokingly without looking back.

It he had, he would have seen the surprise flash through Mori's expression before a small smile curved his lips, a barely distinguishable dust of pink bridging his nose.

* * *

><p>Kaname stood behind Haruhi's seated form, absently running his fingers through her drying short brown locks and staring blankly at the bustling camera crew.<p>

"I don't understand why Kyoya-sempai is letting Renge do all of this..." Haruhi commented with a sigh.

"Does this fact bother you?" Kaname inquired, glancing down at her curiously.

"... I'm not sure," She responded with a shrug.

"If it does, then tell him so."

"I can't." Haruhi allowed her head to fall back and rest against his abdomen, meeting his stare with her own. "I'm not exactly in a position to make requests since I have a debt to pay." She reminded him dryly.

"At least make an attempt." The hand that had been resting on her head slipped down to her shoulder to give an encouraging squeeze.

"But almost everyone already tried," She reasoned, not wanting to leave her comfortable spot to face the 'Shadow King.'

"Except you." He easily pointed out. "He could react if you ask nicely."

"... Fine." She took a deep breath, giving a half-hearted huff when Kaname patted her head. Releasing a sigh, she stood up from her seat and headed towards where Kyoya stood writing in his black book.

"Hmm..." _'Such an oblivious pair..._' He shook his head in amusement as he watched the surprise register in Kyoya's eyes as Haruhi began conversing with him, only to be replaced by a contemplative glint as he listened to her request. _'Such innocence...'_

"Kaname-otou!" Tamaki called as he ran towards him with a happy smile, his clothes still soaked from the scenes he'd just completed. "What did you think?" He asked eagerly as he stopped before him. "Did I give a good performance?"

"... Believable acting." He complimented lightly as he grasped the extra towel resting on the fold out chair and held it out for him. Tamaki beamed at the praise and graciously accepted the white cloth.

"It's like i discovered a new, darker side of myself." Tamaki said as he rubbed the cotton material into his hair to dry it. "I think it would be a good idea to explore it."

"Why?" Kaname blinked slowly. He vaguely heard Renge's shrill voice call out to Haruhi from around a school building's corner. "I prefer you as you are." He glimpsed away towards Haruhi and Kyoya just in time to see annoyance flare in the glasses male's eyes at the interruption as Haruhi walked away towards the annoying female's location.

"You do...?" Tamaki hesitantly asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"I do not lie."

"..." Tamaki blinked out of his state before offering a serene smile at his words. "Hmm...?" He blinked again, his brows furrowing in confusion when Kaname suddenly tensed, tilting his head slightly as if listening to a distant sound. "Kaname...?" He began to grow concerned when the ebony haired male remained silent, seemingly forgetting his presence. He opened his mouth to call to him again, only to stop when Kaname suddenly turned away and began running towards Haruhi's direction before he could get another word out. "Wha-?" His eyes widened when he heard a distant crash coming from where Kaname was heading towards and quickly followed after him.

_'Tears... I smell Haruhi's tears.._._'_ Kaname skidded to a stop at the corner of the building, his piercing eyes quickly assessing every detail of the scene he came to. He ignored everyone's jump of surprise at his sudden appearance, his sight focusing solely on a kneeling Haruhi, the suspected salty liquid rimming her eyes, only to fall as she looked up at him. He paid no attention to Renge, his eyes quickly snapping towards one of the two males standing near them as he stepped back in fear, guilt evident on his face. In a flash, he had the male up in the air, one hand effortlessly holding him off the ground by his throat.

"What happe-" Tamaki stopped short to take in the sight before him, his violet eyes filling with understanding. Narrowing his eyes at the second unknown male shifting nervously, he followed Kaname's example and swiftly gripped the male's shirt collar before holding him firmly against the building's wall. "Who did it?" He demanded with a glare.

"W-wait...!" The male Kaname was holding up rasped out as he clutched his wrist in a futile attempt at freedom.

"It's not what you think!" The boy in Tamaki's grasp claimed as he held his hands up in surrender. "That girl," he pointed at Renge, "was giving us a hard time!"

"He's telling the truth," Haruhi spoke up as she rose to her feet while rubbing an eye, catching both angered hosts' attention. "It wasn't their fault..."

"..." Kaname's nose twitched, detecting nothing but honestly in her scent.

Without a word, he released his grip, watching as the boy fell, clutching his neck and gasping for breath. Returning his hand to his side, he turned on his heel and took quick strides towards Haruhi. He noticed Tamaki let the boy in his grip free as well, the two unknown boys making a hasty escape together. Stopping before Haruhi, he raised a hand and gently tilted her head up with a single digit as she continued to rub at her eye. He blinked, retracting his hand.

"Contact...?" He murmured blandly, watching as she carefully plucked the silicone lens off her eye and onto her index finger.

"Hai." She blinked a few times to clear her vision. "Guess it slipped out..."

"..." Tamaki stared at Haruhi in surprise, before he gave a small laugh. "I get it." He smiled widely, back to his usual cheerful self. "You're able to cry without tear drops! Your a full-fledged host now!"

"Hmm," Haruhi smiled. "But Kaname-kun is a host and he hasn't cried." She pointed out.

"I will do no such thing." Kaname asserted with a small frown. They only laughed in response at his immediate refusal.

"Y-you-" Renge tried to speak through her stupor. "Tell me you caught that, cameraman!" She pointed to the camera crew stationed behind them.

"Hai." The man gave a thumbs up.

"Other than Haruhi's contact falling out, that was the perfect final scene!" She fisted the rolled up script in her hand tightly in her excitement. "All that's needed now is a movie narration by my sweet Kyoya-!" The unexpected sound of shattering glass caused everyone to turn to the source and find Kyoya calmly standing with a rock in his hand forced against the ruined camera lens.

"My camera!" The cameraman gapped is distress, his crew men gasping behind him.

"What's wrong?" Renge asked confusedly, her voice low.

"I apologize, but I can't allow there to be a record of a club member engaging in violence." He told her, eyes holding displeasure as he took a quick glimpse towards Haruhi. Then a shorter one to the two with her before focusing back on the stunned girl. "You have caused enough trouble, Renge. Please stop being such a pest."

Kaname ignored the rest of the conversation as Renge's delusions of Kyoya being her perfect fiancé crumbled around her as reality set in. He glanced down at Haruhi.

"You asked nicely."

Haruhi gazed up at him in confusion before it melted into realization. "Hai, but I don't think that has anything to do with him destroying the camera." She looked pointedly at a sobbing Renge. "Or this." Sighing, she walked towards the fallen girl, intent on cheering her up, or at least making her see reason.

"Hn." Kaname glanced away from Haruhi, his blue eyes instantly connecting with cool gray, almost onyx, orbs. "..." A corner of his lip quirked upward at the scrutinizing stare he was receiving from Kyoya. It grew to a smirk when those eyes narrowed at him.

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>Several Days Later<em>

Kaname shifted on his feet in boredom as he stood behind the large plush red couch Tamaki and the Hitachin Brothers were seated on. On his left stood Mori, while Haruhi was on his right and Honey sat atop his shoulders, his bunny held in one arm. Kyoya was, as usual, standing behind all of them and scribbling in his black book. The Host Club was seconds away from opening and everyone was set to greet their guests.

"Hello Ladies," Tamaki greeted the females kindly as they walked in.

"I bought the film you guys made!" A female spoke up excitedly.

"I did too!"

"So did I!" Many other girls chimed in with delighted blushes.

"..." All the hosts blinked at their words, confused as to what film they were speaking of.

"That scene in the rain was phenomenal!" The girls continued to gush.

"I love the lonely prince!"

"And the loving relationship between Hikaru and Kaoru was so sweet!" They continued their praises, hearts flying around their dreamy expressions, as understanding flashed in the hosts' eyes.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki inquired, knowing he was involved. They looked in question towards the smirking host.

"I may have broken the camera's lens, but the footage already shot remained undamaged." Kyoya revealed. "Naturally, I cut out any violent scenes." He paused in his writing to push his glasses up with a single finger. "Sales have been good so far and that Hollywood film crew did a fantastic job."

Kaname hummed in amusement, noticing some of the hosts deadpanned expressions. _'He's been calculating this from the start...'_

"Konnichiwa, everyone." A familiar voice greeted as she stepped into the club.

"Renge?" Tamaki murmured in surprise. "I thought you left to France already?"

"I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner." She started, ignoring Tamaki's question. "How you protected me without hesitation," She smiled, raising her clasped hands against her cheek. "The love held behind the lesson you tried to teach me." She suddenly grasped Haruhi's hand within her own. "When you spoke about not passing judgement and getting to know someone, you were speaking of me, weren't you?" She asked with a loving smile, staring adoringly into the disguised female's brown eyes.

"What?" Haruhi deadpanned.

"Come on Haruhi!" Renge grabbed her arm, a happy smile on her face, and began pulling her towards the club's exit. "Let's go play some games at my house! I think it's time you got to know me better!"

"What!" Haruhi exclaimed in surprise and confusion.

"Hey Kyoya-sempai-" Hikaru stood beside him, eyeing him curiously.

"You okay with that?" Kaoru finished.

"Why wouldn't I?" He replied, appearing indifferent despite the unconscious, almost unnoticeable, tightening grip of his pen. "Everything Renge said was true."

"They're taking my musume away!" Tamaki appeared kneeling, whimpering dramatically while reaching helplessly towards the two departing girls.

"Didn't you want her to have a female companion?" Kyoya inquired with a smirk, his form relaxing as he watched his dramatics in amusement.

"But not someone who's in love with her! " He cried. He then appeared kneeling before Kaname, hugging his waist tightly and whining into his stomach. "Don't let her take my musume away, otousan!"

"Come on, Haruhi! Let's go play together!" Renge could be heard giggling, resulting in Tamaki tightening his grip and releasing another whimper.

"..." Kaname placed a comforting hand on the blonde's head before looking up at Mori in exasperation. The taller male only released a small chuckle at his predicament, a smile playing his lips. Narrowing his eyes at him, Kaname gave Tamaki's head a soft pat. Haruhi could deal with Renge without his assistance.

**"You know, Kaname-sempai," **the twins stood on either side of him with mischievous grins. **"If you're always with Haruhi..."**

Honey's eyes widened in understanding. "And Renge-chan starts following Haru-chan..."

"Then you're going to be having plenty of quality time with Renge." Kyoya finished with a pleased smirk. Everyone in the club _knew _Kaname thought Renge was nothing but a nuisance.

...

...

...

_Oh, hell no..._

"..." Kaname calmly raised a hand, gently lifting Honey and setting him on his feet before plucking Tamaki lightly by his back collar and setting him to stand beside him. Both blondes blinked in confusion, and before anyone could voice a question, Kaname disappeared in a blur out of the club. The hosts were left to gaze at the door in surprise as they heard a high pitched scream from Renge followed by a shout of surprise from Haruhi from down the hall.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you so much to everyone who has been following and reviewing my story ! For those who <strong>**don't, PLEASE REVIEW ! :)**

***Chibi Taisho**

**P.S. Votes are in and Kyoya will be the one to win Haruhi's heart !**


	8. Trepidations of A Guardian

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own Inuyasha or Ouran High School Host Club !

**Flashback**

_'Thoughts'_

_**Past Life**_** Memories**

* * *

><p><strong>ATTENTION READER! YOU MUST READ THIS BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO THE STORY!<strong>

**(If you have already read this from Chapter One, then skip ahead to the story)**

If you have been reading this story since when I first published it, then I am sorry to say you must re-read it. I was not satisfied with how the story held such cliche elements in the beginning and decided to redo it. The plot in general is still the same, there are only some details that I changed to make the events fall more smoothly. The way I portrayed the characters, to me, were completely OOC and I made a lot of grammatical mistakes. The only OOC I wanted was Kagome as a result from all her harsh experiences. Now that I have experience in story writing, I went back to re-write it and I am far happier with it now. The main chapters to change were one and two. The rest stayed the same, only a few details here and there or phrases worded differently, but it is generally the same. How the story is now is how I had originally wanted it to go, but too many story ideas caused me to force too many components together that didn't fit well in my excitement. Again, I apologize and I hope you come to enjoy the rewritten version better than the original. :)

* * *

><p>Kaname gave a thoughtful hum as he stood before a large table holding a wide selection of delicacies. By his side stood Haruhi, quietly reading a thick, black book she had checked out from the school library for a history assignment. Every once in a while, she would stop and grumble under her breath about 'vague information' before continuing where she left off. From what he could tell, History was not Haruhi's best subject. She receives good test scores in the class, but they were usually never up to par with the exceptionally high marks she makes in her other subjects, such as math.<p>

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye when he heard her frustrated sigh, her eyes falling closed as she lowered the open book from her face a bit. In a sudden bout of curiosity, his sights turned towards the literature in her grasp, subtly turning his head enough to get a better angle at the written words, wondering what could be causing her such dismay. As he read through a random passage, his eyes suddenly sharpened as he quickly skimmed through the rest of the words.

_'How ironic...'_ Kaname mused, a wry smile forming at the corner of his lips as he continued to read through the page. _'The Shikon no Tama could only be wielded by one with immense spiritual powers. Without a powerful guardian to keep the jewel at it's purest form, it could easily be swayed towards corruption by even the __wielder's smallest selfish desire. Only a select few priestesses have been able to posses the Shikon before a mighty battle for the gem as the prize lead to its ultimate disappearance. It is unknown how it came to be.' _He looked away with an inaudible huff, grabbing a random plate from the table. Now he understood Haruhi's frustration. The human author was incredible vague, though it didn't really surprise him. Most texts involving important supernatural events, such as the Final Battle, were kept under lock and key while edited copies were released to the public.

"Remind me to return this before we leave today," Haruhi spoke up, a frown aimed at the book in her grasp.

"Hn." He gave a small nod in compliance as he brought a small forkful of the dark colored treat to his mouth. He gave a pleased hum as the taste hit his tongue. It seems he picked up a slice of pumpkin pie...

"Kaname-kun?"

"Hmm...?"

"Do you think you can come over today?"

He blinked, his fork pausing in it's retreat from his mouth as he looked at her in surprise at the sudden request. Slowly, he pulled the utensil out and looked down at his plate as he broke off another bite of pie. "Hai."

"Great." She smiled, hugging the book to her chest as they turned to walk towards their hosting station. "My otousan is really excited to meet you, so please don't be surprised if he tries to hug you to death."

"Alright." His blue eyes lit up in slight amusement. Yet deep inside, he was in turmoil over the sudden turn of events. Although he still has not chosen a definite answer, he was leaning towards confessing his past and hoping Haruhi and her father accepted it well.

**"Let's all play the 'Which One Is Hikaru' game!" **The twins' exclamation caught their attention as they walked by their station. They looked over to see the smirking brothers adorning matching green hats to hide their differently parted hair from their giggling customers. **"So~?"** They grinned confidently. **"Can you tell which one of us is Hikaru?"** They asked their guests.

"Well, it's hard to say..." One girl spoke up.

"You're identical!" Another smiled.

**"Many ladies have tried to tell us apart," **They crossed their arms, their eyes falling shut, as they lifted their chins with pleased smirks. **"But none have succeeded."**

"That's the dumbest game I've ever heard of," Haruhi muttered to Kaname as they strolled by, catching the brothers' attention.

"Simple-minded games for simple-minded people," Kaname stated with a small shrug.

**"Do you two have a problem with our game?" **Hikaru and Kaoru questioned in unison.

"No," Haruhi stopped in her walk, causing Kaname to halt alongside her, as she looked back at them."I just don't understand how you're both so popular." She stated bluntly.

**"That's not vey nice," **they pouted.

Kaname, in the meantime, decided to leave Haruhi with the brothers as they began telling her the 'merits' of twin hosts, and headed towards Honey and Mori's hosting area. He didn't really feel like dealing with the mischievous duo today.

"Kame-chan!" Honey beamed as Kaname sat on the couch in between him and his cousin. He blinked curiously at the dish in his friend's lap, hugging his bunny settled on his own lap. "What are you eating?"

"Pumpkin pie," Kaname told him, shutting his eyes in pleasure as he took another bite of the morsel. "Do you want a slice?" He questioned as he broke off another bite with his fork.

"Pie?" Honey's brows furrowed cutely, causing the females sitting around them to squeal at the adorable picture he made. "Is it like cake?" He asked hesitantly.

"... Somewhat." Kaname lifted a brow at the discovery his question exposed. It seems Honey's absolute love for cake kept him satisfied enough to never have a need in sampling other types of pastries. Cupcakes didn't count since they were basically smaller versions of cake. Stabbing his fork into a bite-sized piece of pie, he held it out in front of the diminutive blonde's face. "Try it."

"..." Blinking wide eyes up at his friend, Honey switched his gaze to the fork before him. Licking his lips at the tasty scent, he tentatively opened his mouth, allowing Kaname to slide the delicacy in. His eyes lit up with delight at the taste, hugging Usa-chan tightly as he eagerly swallowed it down. "It's delicious!"

"Here." A large, slightly tanned hand appeared, presenting a plate with a large slice of pumpkin pie on it for Honey. The tall male had quickly went to get his small cousin a portion when he saw the telling excited glint in his eye.

"Thanks, Takashi!" Honey grinned as he happily took the plate and began devouring his newly discovered savory treat.

"Your welcome." Mori gave a small smile before his sights turned to the male sitting beside him. He gave a small hum as he lifted a hand and gently settled it atop his friend's raven head, tousling the silky strands playfully. His smile grew a fraction when those sapphire eyes blinked up at him patiently, allowing his attentions. He was pleased to know he was one of the sparse few Kaname was comfortable enough to allow such casual physical contact to occur in their friendship.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Tamaki's angry shout caught everyone's attention to see him stomping over to the blank faced twins. "When I gave you control of the club's website, I did so under one condition! That you take it seriously!" He yelled in their faces.

"We take our jobs very seriously, boss." Hikaru told him calmly.

"In fact, last night we worked on it until dawn." Kaoru added.

"Is _this_ what you worked so hard to create!" Tamaki opened the laptop that he had been carrying in his arms.

Slamming a few buttons in his frustration, the screen revealed a surprising picture of Haruhi, shirtless with her back to the camera, her body angled enough to the right to still see the clear expanse of her back as she sat on the floor cross-legged. Her hands were resting on her lap as she looked over her right shoulder and smiled at the camera. What was even more surprising though was the shirtless figure seated alongside her. Kaname sat facing towards the left side of the camera, his elbow resting on his bent right knee as his left hand rested on the knee folded under his first leg. His free hand was running midway through the long curtain of midnight blue hair as he gave the camera a narrow eyed gaze. The position gave a clear view of his entire toned chest area. Overall, the picture perfectly presented examples of the polar opposites of warm innocence and heated passion.

"..." Kaname blinked in surprise, staring blankly at the photo.

"...!" Haruhi could only gape at the picture, her entire frame completely losing color.

"You both look great!" Honey exclaimed as he was held up by Mori to see the picture above the numerous squealing heads of females surrounding the laptop Tamaki settled on a table. "Right, Takashi?" He looked back at him for confirmation. He blinked, tilting his head cutely, when he noticed a faint blush ridging his cousin's nose. "Takashi?"

"Hai..." He answered quietly, unable to take his eyes off the photo. In fact, for some reason, he didn't _want_ to look away, focusing on those captivating sapphire eyes and the exposed skin that came with it. Swallowing nervously at the sudden feeling igniting within and warming his blood, he forced himself to look away towards the actual object of his previous scrutiny. His flush only deepened in color when he noticed Kaname was raking a hand through his hair as he looked up at him to show his exasperation over the entire situation. His expression looked almost exactly like in the photo.

"Bakas," Kaname released an annoyed sigh. The twins could have at least asked for his permission to alter his photos. Oh well... At least the photo copies sold would help lower Haruhi's debt some.

His nose suddenly twitched, his eyes narrowing in displeasure as the overwhelming odor of arousal hit his senses. Holding his breath, he was beginning to regret his earlier reasoning, when a familiar aroma touched his nose. '_Takashi?'_ He looked towards the tall male standing not too far from him, his nose flaring subtly as he tried to separated all the scents. _'Is he... aroused?'_ It was too hard to tell, there were far too many overpowering smells in the room.

"I am not your toy!" Haruhi's irritated statement caught his attention. Kaname looked over to see a tick mark form on her head as a result of speaking with the smirking twins alongside her. It seems they were annoying her again. Before he could make his way over to her, a trace of youki caused him to reflexively tighten his grip on his own and focus completely on the suddenly dark club door as a, somewhat, familiar scent entered the room.

"You want a toy?" a dark voice spoke from the doorway. "If you like toys, you should come visit my Black Magic club. We've opened a marketplace that boasts black magic items from across the globe." A cloaked figure holding a three-branched candle poked his head into the room. "If you join now, I'll even throw in a free cursed doll. You can have Beelzenef as your free gift." He lifted his other hand to present a cream colored cat puppet.

"Why is he talking to us through a crack in the door?" Haruhi asked in confusion.

**"Wait… has that door always been there?"** the twins questioned, completely uninterested in the black magic user.

"Sempai likes to hide. He doesn't really care for brightly lit places." Kyoya informed as he appeared beside Haruhi, not pausing in his continuous scribbling.

The cloaked male stepped fully into the room, scanning every occupant within. "Hm?" He tilted his head curiously as his gaze landed on a pair of sapphire eyes. Without warning, he appeared directly in front of the slightly shorter male. "Who's this now..." He mumbled to himself as he slowly circled the indifferent male, his steps practically soundless on the marble floor.

"..." Kaname, in the meantime, stood confident under the curious scrutiny, his blue eyes following the dark figure intently. He watched as the male stopped to stand in front of him, his nose twitching the slightest bit. He couldn't deny he himself was curious about this male as well, considering he seemed familiar.

**"Have we met before?"** They questioned one another in unison, causing their audience to blink in surprise.

Kaname's brow furrowed slightly, ignoring the numerous stares boring into his person, and instead concentrated on the unknown male's now potent scent. Inhaling a deep breath of air, he blinked, his eyes falling to the puppet in the male's hand as he realized exactly _why_ his scent smelled so familiar to him.

"You're a Nekozawa..." His first name was Umehito, if he remembered correctly. He had met the younger male only twice when Nekozawa had been an infant a little over a century ago, roughly equal to four human years of age at the time. The small child had been spending time with his grandfather when Kaname had stopped by to visit his friend.

The cloaked male blinked in surprise under the cover of his dark green wig before they narrowed in wary suspicion. "How do you know my family name?"

"I am a friend of Hiroshi Nekozawa." Kaname told him.

"Ojii-sama?" Nekozawa mumbled in bewilderment as he edged closer. "How do you know him?" His grandfather lived in Russia and though he travels for business, it's rarely to Japan. His parents managed the division here, so his family usually were the ones to leave the country to visit the Nekozawa head.

"We met on one of his visits." Kaname slipped his hands into his pockets as he watched Nekozawa carefully. He wondered if his old friend spoke of him, and if, by some chance, Nekozawa figures out who he really was, then he had to be prepared. Cats were crafty little creatures.

"That's impossible," Nekozawa's eyes narrowed further. His nose twitched as he inched a bit closer to the male, attempting to decipher _where_ exactly he had come in contact with this somewhat familiar scent. This man felt human, but his instincts were telling him there was more to him, something that was carefully hidden away. "Ojii-sama has not visited Japan in years."

He paused as the faint, yet undeniable smell of wolf touched his nose, bringing with it a memory of a pretty woman with sapphire eyes. He blinked, his eyes gazing into the male's orbs that were the _exact_ shade of blue as his memory. His eyes widened in shock before he quickly moved to stand beside him, a thoughtful frown on his suddenly serious face as he scrutinized Kaname's mane.

"Hair as dark as the night ocean's surface." He reached to touch the strands, but refrained from doing so, knowing it would be considered disrespectful in their standards without permission. His sights switched to the lower half of the male's face. "Skin light as the moon above." His eyes rose as he stepped over to once again face him and leaned forward a bit, their faces inches apart, to look into those blue orbs watching him with hidden apprehension. "Eyes the deepest of frozen sapphires." His eyes widened in recognition. "You're-!" His eyes abruptly fell to half-lidded as he tilted his head up with a small purr. "Mmm..."

"Heh," Kaname's lips curved up into a small smirk as he continued to gently scratch along under Nekozawa's chin. He remembered the little cat had loved the attention as a child and when Kaname realized his identity was in danger of being revealed, he used this knowledge to his advantage to see if Nekozawa will react as he did so long ago. Apparently he did, considering the restrained purrs he was releasing.

If what Kaname was doing know surprised the enthralled spectators, then what happened next down right paralyzed them into shock.

"Hmm..." Kaname stopped his attentions to gently grasp Nekozawa's chin, his other hand rising to move the dark green strands of his wig from his eyes. Interested sapphire connecting with curious powder blue. "Such a pretty neko." He released a small chuckle when he noticed Nekozawa's eyes widened, a faint blush dusting his cheeks at the compliment and returned to stroking under his chin, his previously faint purrs rising a degree. He imagined if Nekozawa's glmaour wasn't in place, his tail would have been swaying in contentment. He was a cat, proud creatures, who preened under this type of attention.

Mori, who had been watching the entire scene since the beginning with a frown, tensed at the uncharacteristic show of affection the usually impassive Kaname was giving their fellow senior. His friend rarely initiated physical contact with him and his cousin and this cloaked male he seemingly just met is being lavished with it. His frown deepened in confusion at the numerous emotions he was suddenly bombarded with at the realization.

"Don't get involved with him, Kaname-otou." Tamaki 'whispered' fearfully behind Kaname. "If you do, you'll end up getting cursed!"

"Do you have any proof of that?" Haruhi muttered when she heard his warning.

"Of course!" He appeared in front of her. "It happened during final exams at the end of the last school year!" His face paled as he began recounting to her his 'terrifying' experience of being cursed, only for Kyoya to calmly rebuttal with a logical explanation.

At the word 'cursed,' Kaname paused in his ministrations. "You place curses on innocents?" He asked, a note of disapproval in his voice.

"N-No!" Nekozawa shook his head with wide eyes. "I do place curses," His voice lowered at his next confession. "But not on humans. It's simply amusing to watch them shake in fear at my act." He released a nervous laugh.

"Hmm," He gave a hum in amusement. "Good. It's safe to say you know who I am?" When he received a firm nod from the cat, he leaned closer to gaze deeply into his powder blue orbs. "Then let's keep it a secret." He paused. "Although, you may tell Hiroshi, but _only_ him. He knows why I am here." His blue eyes hardened in warning. "Is that understood?"

"Hai." Nekozawa nodded readily, remembering the war stories his grandfather had once told him about the unique being before him. He was one not to be crossed with just as much as the Lord of the West.

"Good neko." Kaname smoothed his wig down, his fingers threading gently through the strands and earning another soft purr. He returned to his previous petting as praise, Nekozawa's content sounds steadily rising in volume, but not yet enough for the others to hear. "...?" He paused as a beam of light was flashed onto them.

"Ahhh!" Nekozawa hastily pulled away from Kaname with a frightened scream. "YOU MURDERERS!" Nekozawa yelled as he swiftly ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"..." Kaname released a sigh as he allowed his hands to drop to his sides. _'It seems his little fear of the light had turned into a complete phobia over the years.'_ He blinked as a large hand settled on his head. Glancing up, he was not surprised to see it was Mori as he stood beside him. He then looked down when he felt a tug on his sleeve to see Honey looking up at him.

"Are you alright, Kame-chan?" Honey tilted his head cutely, concern coating his voice.

"Hai."

"Okay." He grasped his hand with his. "Let's go try more pie together!" He smiled excitedly.

"Alright..." Kaname consented. "...?" He looked back at Mori when, instead of the customary hair tousling, he sank his fingers into his hair and ran it through the entire length, pulling his hand away enough to watch the silky strands slip from his fingers to fall back into place. Kaname raised a brow at him for his strange behavior.

"..." Mori only gave a small, slightly hesitant smile before his large hand closed around the smaller male's wrist. With a small tug, he helped his cousin pull their friend back towards their hosting area. He noted that although Kaname's brows knitted together slightly in confusion at his uncharacteristic actions, he allowed them to lead him along.

Mori would never admit it, but he had spotted when the mischievous twins had produced a flashlight. He had realized what they were planning to do with it to Nekozawa. He had known that the cloaked male was afraid of bright lights. He had the opportunity to stop them. He _should_ have stopped them. And yet... he _didn't._ He had simply observed and he couldn't understand why after it had all transpired, he had felt... relieved.

The entire situation was completely confusing...

* * *

><p>Kaname calmly strolled down the street alongside Haruhi. The school day had finally come to an end and they had both been relieved to get the chance to escape from the Host Club and the twins yelling. The usually inseparable brothers had gotten into an argument about one thing or another, Kaname hadn't been too interested to care, and had been having a shouting match until the club's closing. Currently, the disguised female and her friend were rising the stairs to Haruhi's apartment.<p>

"Hey, Kaname-kun," Haruhi started as she took her keys out of her bag. "You're good in History, right?"

"Hai." The corner of his lips twitched, already having an idea of what she was going to ask as they stopped at a door. And he wasn't wrong.

"Can you help me with my History project?" She paused in unlocking her apartment door to look up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Very well."

"Thank you." Her expression relaxed as she gave a sigh in relief. "The project is pretty simple." She told him as she opened the door, motioning for him to enter first. He did so, scanning the small kitchen connected to the the dining/living room area. A small hallway lead to what he could guess were two bedrooms and a bathroom. "We have to pick out an ancient relic of our choice and write a ten page essay on its history." She explained.

"Have you chosen one yet?" He questioned as he slipped out of his shoes and set them aside. He already knew where this conversation was going, having connected the dots based on the material Haruhi had been reading earlier in the day.

"Hai." She nodded as she too removed her shoes, internally happy that Kaname was a fellow 'commoner,' as the Host Club would have put it. She had no doubt that the rich bastards would have voiced some bad comments about her regular living conditions and was glad she had found someone who had some sense of normalcy. "Have you heard of this jewel called the Shikon no Tama?" She asked as she lead him to a low table, motioning for him to sit as she dropped her satchel on the floor. Receiving a nod from the now seated male, she continued. "That's what I'm going to do my project on." She declared as she walked into the kitchen area. "Do you want any tea, by the way?" She called over her shoulder as she found the kettle and filled it with water. "Gomen, but we don't have any cake."

"Just tea is fine." Kaname assured as he loosened his tie and took off his school blazer, placing it atop his school bag on the floor beside him.

"Alright." Haruhi placed the kettle on the stove burner, flicking the appliance to life. "While the water is boiling, let me go change out of this." She tugged on the bottom of the blue jacket of her male uniform as she turned to face him. "Make yourself comfortable." She smiled as she left down the hallway.

'... _Fate is twisted...' _

Kaname thought over his conversation with his charge with an uncertain grimace. He was curious to see what she knew of the perceived 'legends' of the powerful gem and whether she believed them or not. This was his chance to see if she could truly accept him. Sighing silently to himself, Kaname scanned the apartment once more. Though small in its simplicity, it definitely had a comfortable, homey feeling to it. As his eyes swept through every detail of the room, his eyes fell to a small, familiar structure. Rising to his feet, he circled around the low table and kneeled before the memorial alter.

"... Hello, Kotoko-san" A small smile curved his lips as he gazed at the picture of the beaming brown eyed brunette woman. "It's been ten years, but I've done good on my promise to you. I've been watching over your family in your absence." His smile softened as he continued in a low voice. "You spoke the truth when you said your daughter was a determined, strong-willed girl. And though I have not met your husband officially yet, I have no doubt he is the caring, doting man you spoke of."

Clasping his hands flat against one another before his chest, he allowed his eyes to slip shut as he dipped his head in prayer. Memories of Kotoko, from their first meeting to their final goodbye not long after, came to the forefront of his mind.

**Flashback:**

**Kagome stood motionless at the foot of a white bed, face a mask of indifference with her hands clasped firmly behind her back. Her sapphire eyes betrayed nothing as she gazed at the sleeping female laying comfortably within the satin blankets before switching her sights to the papers resting on a clipboard by the bed frame. The name Kotoko Fujioka stared back at her in bold letters. Glancing around, the pearly white room held only the ****necessities for its owner, conveying simplicity. However, the stark shine in every metal object, the large flat screen tv and comfortable new furniture expressed wealth. **

**She paused in her inspection, her eyes narrowing marginally as she turned back to the one now known as Kotoko, displeasure flashing momentarily through her blue orbs as the figure coughed weakly in her sleep. There was no denying the truth based on the stench lacing the female's calming scent.**

**Kotoko was dying.**

**Kagome's fingers tightened their grip as that simple statement repeated continuously through her mind, before they forcibly loosened. There was nothing she could do for the woman, having only learned about her state of health only a week ago. With the multitude of descendants she had to watch over, and between keeping a company a success and tending to the needs of her own pack, she possessed a very busy schedule and could only afford to check in on every descendant every so often. By the time she got word of Kotoko's condition, she was already diagnosed as terminally ill.**

**Now, here she stood before the dying woman, having wanted to confirm for herself the grave situation. Ryoji had left to take his daughter, Haruhi, home for the night, giving Kagome the opportunity to visit Kotoko alone in secret. She knew which hospital room the human was staying in. Paying for the medical bills and making her as comfortable as possible while delaying her impending death was the most she could do for her now, leaving Kagome to feel utterly helpless.****  
><strong>

**Another weak cough snapped Kagome out of her thoughts to the resting female. She watched as the feeble sound steadily gained in volume and force, a part of her mind absently wondering why she ****continued to observe her instead of disappearing into the shadows as she should. She could clearly hear the quickening of Kotoko's heart, alerting her rising to consciousness, without the need to listen to the electrical beep of the heart monitor. **

**As she was contemplating her own actions, a hand rose in a flimsy attempt to cover the slowly diminishing coughs, brows furrowing together in discomfort. Seconds passed until finally, hazy chestnut eyes opened, instantly connecting with sapphire orbs.**

**"... Who," Another cough wracked through her before Kotoko started anew. "Who are you?" She asked in a louder voice. She could only see blue eyes of a shadowed silhouette. The only source of illumination in the dark room came from the slivers of moonlight from the opened window. **

**"... A friend..."**

**Obvious confusion marred Kotoko's expression at the unfamiliar female voice. Yet just as she opened her mouth to question further, the figure stepped back soundlessly into the darkest portion of the room, blue eyes swallowed into the shadows, and she knew whoever it had been was now gone.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**Kotoko gave a small smile as she felt the familiar sensation of being watched, not bothering to look up just yet from the book she was reading on her bed. It had been a little over two weeks since the mysterious female with blue eyes had entered her room for the first time and it seemed whenever her family wasn't staying the night with her at the hospital, she would always feel eyes watching over her in their stead, even if she hasn't again seen those sapphire orbs. She never spoke a word to anyone about her unknown visitor, having a feeling that if she was indeed dangerous, then she would have already ****struck with all the ample opportunities given. **

**"I know you're there." Kotoko stated aloud, lifting her head to look curiously around the silent room. "I won't scream. I just want to know who you are." Despite the undeniable paranormality surrounding the blue-eyed female, Kotoko had always been very open-minded and did not have a sound reason to fear this being. **

**Minutes ticked by, until eventually, familiar sapphire eyes were revealed within a silhouette across the room.**

**"... A friend..."**

**Kotoko smiled at the repeated statement. "Then I'm glad I have such a good friend." **

**She watched as surprise flashed briefly through those unique orbs before they receded back into the shadows. Her smile never wavered though, knowing the female wasn't far and happy to know she'd made progress between them.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**"I think I know who you are."**

**Sapphire eyes appeared at the foot of the bed seconds after the sudden announcement. Another week had passed since their last conversation, a silent reassurance brought between them by the equally silent visitor. Kotoko continued to smile at the inquiring glint in those eyes, leaning back against the headboard of the bed before continuing.**

**"Ryoji would always tell me magnificent stories about these powerful beings." She closed her eyes with a soft smile. "At first he never spoke a word about them until I found an old sealed trunk and asked him about it." She opened her eyes to look into orbs watching her intently. "He was hesitant at first, but eventually gave in and showed me everything inside. It was filled with ancient scrolls and relics passed down through his family, all of the writings speaking about different topics, from their ancestral history and struggles in Feudal Japan to magical spells and youkais." A laugh suddenly passed through her lips. "He thought I was going to think him insane, but instead I was fascinated with it all. He was ecstatic of course, and told me everything he knew, allowing me to read through any scripture I wanted. But there was one story in particular that he absolutely adored, and a part of me always believed in it as well. Would you like to hear which?"**

**"..." She didn't offer a verbal response, opting instead to take a small step closer in answer.**

**"It was about the 'Eastern Guardian.'" Kotoko watched curiously as those blue eyes widened a degree. "It's about a unique warrior who fiercely protected all those under her care, including the human descendants of her deceased friends, just as she had sworn to do for them on their dying breath. And even after centuries, she still watches over them from afar." She couldn't decipher the flickers of emotions passing through those acute eyes. "My daughter admitted once that she hopes to meet our guardian one day. In fact, we all do." Her smile widened at her next words. "Are you that same guardian?"**

**"... And if I was?"**

**"Then I'm glad my family will have someone to look after them." Kotoko's smile was serene, leaving no doubt that she knew what her future held.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**"Guardian-sama?"**

**Narrowed blue eyes appeared within the shadows immediately after. Since their previous exchange of words a few days before, Kotoko had taken to referring to her mysterious female visitor with said title, certain that she was the 'Eastern Guardian' since she ****received no denial to her claim. Kotoko stared up at the ceiling from her lain position, a look of contemplation settled on her frail face. She has been growing weaker as the days wore on, to the point that it was sometimes a struggle for her to sit up in bed.**

**"I want to ask you something, but I need you to be honest." **

**As expected, silence met her words, and she looked towards where her visitor usually appeared, searching chestnut eyes meeting patient sapphires.**

**"Do you blame yourself for my illness?"**

**Blue widened at the sudden question and Kotoko decided to explain her reasoning, hoping she hadn't insulted her with the declaration.**

**"For centuries, you have watched over my husband's ancestors from a distance. Yet," she paused to gather her thoughts as blue eyes watched her with rapt attention. "You reveal your existence to me not long after my final diagnosis. Around the same time I was given this expensive room and all the medical bills were paid for by an anonymous party." A knowing glint entered her eyes. "You are the anonymous party, are'nt you?" It was more of a statement than a question as she searched through the suddenly impassive gaze. "Do you blame yourself?" She repeated.**

**"... This could have been prevented."**

**"Maybe so." A peaceful smile curved Kotoko's lips as her eyes momentarily slipped closed. "But this was how it was meant to be..." **

**She missed the look of somber understanding that filled those sapphire eyes at her statement as a female figure silently emerged from the shadows to stand by her side. She did, however, feel as a faintly calloused hand gently settled atop her delicate one, her eyes immediately snapping open in surprise at the unforeseen action.**

**"I understand." Blue eyes gained a subtle softness as they gazed at the fragile woman. "But I also understand the pain of losing a family member." **

**"That is my only regret. To cause my family pain." Kotoko smiled sadly as she grasped the woman's hand, not at all surprised by her young appearance. "But they are strong, and have you to watch over them, Guardian-sama." She tightened her grip, giving a peaceful smile when she spotted the faintest of lights spark warmly from their conjoined hands before rushing through her entire system like a tender embrace.**

**"Kagome..." A corner of her lips titled up into a small smile. "My name is Kagome..."**

**End Flashback**

_'That was the last we spoke,'_ Kaname opened his eyes to gaze at the photo of Kotoko once more. _'She died in her sleep the day after...'_

"Kaname?" Said 'male' looked up at the call of his name to see Haruhi, dressed in a loose white t-shirt and dark blue shorts and gazing at him in question. "What are you doing?" She asked as she placed a pile of thick, slightly worn books on the low table. Two cups of tea were already placed on the table's center, steam gently wafting from the liquid's surface.

"Paying my respects." Kaname lowered his hands to rest on his knees.

"You didn't have to, but thank you anyway." Haruhi walked over to crouch down beside him to look at the photo with a gentle smile. "I really appreciate it and I'm sure okaasan does as well." She turned her smile to him. "Im sure she heard you, too. She's one of the people watching over me."

"One of the people?" Kaname repeated with feigned confusion.

"Hai." She stood up straight before walking over and sitting down at the table. "You might think this sounds crazy, but there are legends in my family that say we have a guardian that watches over us." She motioned to the books on the table as Kaname moved to sit across from her. "In fact that guardian is the same person who last held the Shikon no Tama." She told him as she picked up the first book at the top and handed it to him.

"Is that so?" He hummed as he grasped the hardcover literature and opened it to the first page. The text was entirely handwritten in perfect calligraphy, and as he quickly scanned a small passage, he realized it was composed by one of Haruhi's ancestors some two hundred and seventy six years ago.

"Mhmm," Haruhi nodded as she grabbed the next book from the pile and began skimming through it. "These are some of the books from the recent centuries that I had in my room. The rest of the documents are in a locked chest in my otousan's room, so we have to wait until he comes home to open it."

"I know I agreed to help you with this history project," Kaname stated as he held the book on his open palm and carefully flipped the delicate page with his free hand. "But in what exactly do you need assistance?"

"Well, there are a lot of texts to read through." She paused in her perusal, a thoughtful expression on her face. "And even though I already read all of them before, I don't remember which ones go into detail about the Shikon since they all mention it more than once." She turned wide, pleading eyes to him. "Can you help me read through all of them?"

"I suppose." He murmured as his eyes returned to the slightly aged lines of scribbled ink. He was curious to read what her ancestors had recorded down for their descendants.

"Thank you." She smiled appreciatively. "I need to visit this Shinto shrine my otousan mentioned before, too." She mumbled aloud as she returned to her book. "I forget the shrine's name, but otousan said it's renowned for last housing the Shikon, along with having a sacred tree."

Kaname immediately froze at her words, his eyes snapping up to gaze intently at her oblivious form.

"Once I find out the name, I'll stop by to take a tour." Haruhi continued mumbling. "You can come with me if you want, Kaname-kun." She glanced up at him, only to blink in surprise at the contemplative stare he was giving her. "Kaname-kun? Is something wrong?"

"... No." He returned his sights to the book in his hand as he turned the page. "I was simply wondering if you believe in these legends..."

"Oh..." She blinked, not completely convinced. "Well, I do." She tilted her head and gazed at him in slight apprehension. "Do you think I'm insane for believing in them?"

"No, I'm glad you do," He spoke firmly, leaving no doubt that his words were sincere. "It's just..." He trailed off, unsure of how to begin his confession. He gently closed the book and placed it on the low table, his right hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose as his eyes slipped closed with a quiet sigh. "Kuso, this is far more difficult than it should be..." He muttered to himself.

"Kaname?" Concern filled her eyes as she set her book down before crawling around the table to sit beside him. All she caught of his muttering was a curse word and she was beginning to worry. Kaname only every swore when he was truly frustrated. "What's wrong? You're not acting like yourself."

"Nothing's wrong-"

"There is!" She cut in sternly, eyes lit with a determined fire. Her expression softened when he opened his eyes to look at her in surprise, taking note of the turmoil lurking within his sapphire orbs. "Whatever it is that's bothering you, just know you can always come talk to me." She offered an understanding smile as she got to her feet to return to her previous seat.

And with that smile, Haruhi unknowingly helped Kaname come to a decision. It was so kind, patient... accepting. Kaname's hand shot up to gently grasp her forearm, causing her to stop in her departure. With a light tug, he urged her to sit back down.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Kaname released her and turned his body to face his unsuspecting charge. "What would you say if I told you these myths are true?" His eyes flickered the pile of books on the table before focusing back on her. "That I can prove they are facts and not fables?"

Haruhi's expression morphed into one of puzzlement. "Then I would ask you to be completely honest with me and explain."

Kaname sat up straighter, his usual mask of indifference settling on his face. There was no other suitable approach than to be blunt and to the point. "I am the 'Eastern Guardian." He observed the way her eyes widened in bewilderment, her lips parting in shock. "I am the protector your ancestors speak of."

A tense silence filled the room as Kaname waited for Haruhi to speak.

"But..." Haruhi blinked out of her state, her brows creasing as she gave his form a once over. "Where's your tail?" She reached out and took hold of his hand between both her own, lifting it to eye level and examining the polished nails. "And your claws?" Her eyes rose to gaze at his mouth. "I'm pretty sure I've never seen you with fangs before." Her head canted to the side as she looked up at him curiously. "And aren't you supposed to be a girl?"

Blue eyes stared at her in shock. "... You believe me..."

"Hai."

"Even when I have yet to show you proof..."

"Hai." A kind smile lit her face as she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You wouldn't lie to me, Kaname-kun." She declared confidently. A questioning gleam entered her cinnamon orbs. "Is that even your name? Because the stories say you should be a girl."

"..." The corner of his lips lifted into slow, sincere smile. With a small laugh, Kaname pulled a surprised Haruhi into tight hug, his body relaxing from it previous stress. "I should have known you would have reacted this way. Every one of your ancestors have always been accepting of abnormalities." He released another chuckle. "And I am female, just hidden under a glamour." His customary baritone timbre rose a few octaves, a hint of a feminine voice leaking through. "I simply hope your otousan will accept this as easily as you."

"Don't worry," Haruhi pulled back enough to smile up at him reassuringly. "He-"

"Oh, Haruhi! I'm home!" A cheerful voice called out as the door was abruptly opened to reveal a slim man with long, wavy auburn locks and dressed in woman's clothing. His eyes remained closed as he beamed, shutting the front door with a flamboyant twirl. "I was able to get out of work early so I can spend more time with my precious little girl!" He finally opened his eyes, his entire body completely freezing at the sight of his daughter in the arms of an unknown boy.

"Welcome home, otousan!" Haruhi pulled away from the embrace to stand on her feet with a smile. "I'd like to introduce you to someone I know you'll love to meet." She motioned to the silent male now standing warily beside her. "This is Kaname Takahashi." Her attention turned to her friend. "Kaname-kun, this is my otousan, Ryoji Fujioka."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Fujioka-san." Kaname gave a small bow in respect. "Haruhi has told me much about you."

"..."

"..."

"Haruhi?" Ryoji's frozen smile widened the slighted bit. "Could you be a dear and get me a cup of hot tea?"

"Sure..." Haruhi glanced between the two, unsure of what to make of the tension filling the room, before walking to the kitchen area to grab another cup of tea. As soon as Haruhi had her back turned to them, Ryoji practically appeared in front of Kaname, tight smile still firmly in place.

"From how my daughter speaks of you, I knew you were both close friends." There was an underlying edge to his kind tone. "But I never imagined you would try to make a move on my precious Haruhi."

"I did no such thing." Kaname refrained from grimacing at the accusation. He knew how it must have looked when Ryoji entered the apartment and this was not how he had wanted their first meeting to go. He blamed himself for being too distracted in Haruhi's acceptance to the point that he did not hear someone approaching.

"Really now?" Ryoji's eyes slipped closed as his smile grew another degree. "Then how do you explain the fact that you were holding her in an _empty_ apartment? Hmm?"

"A misunderstanding." Kaname blinked slowly in slight bewilderment. "Do you believe I would take Haruhi away from you?"

"So you admit it!" He pointed at him accusingly, pupils disappearing in his fury as his brows angled into a glare. "You forced Haruhi to bring you here-!"

"She asked me to come." Kaname stated blandly.

"-so you can have your way with her-!" Ryoji continued to rant.

"She wanted my help on a project."

"-and then make her pack her things to leave with you-!"

"I havent't even seen her room."

"-before I could come home to save her!" Ryoji finished, his breath quick with angry pants.

"We were actually waiting for you," Haruhi deadpanned behind him, a teacup held in her hands. With an exasperated sigh, she walked around him, placing the drink on the low table. "Sit down, otousan." She sat down on one side of the table while Kaname settled down across from her. "There's something we have to tell you."

"Oh, no." A horrified expression came across Ryoji's face. "He's taking you away, isn't he!?" He didn't wait for a response as he ran to her, falling to his knees and holding her tightly in his arms. "Don't leave your doting otousan for him! No matter how pretty his eyes may be, they aren't worth it!" He cried, large tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.

"Stop being so melodramatic," Haruhi muttered. "This doesn't even have to do with me. At least, not really."

"This is in regards to me." Kaname spoke up, causing Ryoji to stop in his dramatics enough to turn his head towards him to pay attention. "I have a confession to make." He gave a small sigh before bluntly stating, "I am the 'Eastern Guardian' and your family protector."

Haruhi and Kaname silently observed Ryoji's reaction, watching as his eyes widened in complete bewilderment.

"... What?" He finally said, pulling away from embracing Haruhi to sit properly at the table with wide eyes. "But our guardian is a woman." Wariness entered his eyes as he scrutinized the male across from him. "And you could be lying and be an enemy instead." He believed in the existence of the family guardian, a being of ideal goodness, and in order to do so, he had to acknowledge the existence of some evil individuals as well.

"It's best if you show him the real you." Haruhi told Kaname. "You were going to show me before otousan came home suddenly anyway."

"Very well."

Lifting a hand, Kaname pulled out the sapphire ring hiding underneath his shirt collar and gripped it in his palm. Closing his eyes in concentration, he willed his magic to recede, forcing the glamour to dissolve. Ryoji and Haruhi could only watch with wide eyes as the male illusion seemingly melted away to reveal an undeniably feminine physique now clothed within the male uniform. Sharp sapphire eyes opened to reveal inhumanly slit pupils within the unchanged shade of blue. As she dropped the little piece of jewelry back into its original place within her shirt, they noticed the pointed claws that now adorned her slender fingers. A small smile curved her lips as she gazed at their stunned faces.

"My actual name is Kagome Higurashi." A hint of a fang was shown as she spoke in a soft feminine voice, the complete opposite of the deep timbre she used to disguise herself with. "Alpha female of the Eastern Wolf Tribe and, in Feudal times, Eastern Lady, and beta to the Western Lord."

"Oh my Kami..." Ryoji breathed awe. "It is you!"

"You look exactly like in the painting!" Haruhi exclaimed, leaning over the table a bit in her excitement.

Kagome blinked at her words. "Painting?"

Instead of offering a response, they quickly shot to their feet and rushed out the room and down the hallway. Kagome was left to listen to the rustle and clatter of hastily thrown clothes and objects until she heard twin triumphant shouts. With labored grunts and rushed feet, they maneuvered their way back into the living area where their guardian sat waiting in curious confusion. Kagome's eyes widened when they landed on the the large antique chest they set carefully on the floor, having an idea of what it held. She absently heard Haruhi run back down the hallway before returning with a long black case and setting it next to the chest as Ryoji unlocked the heavy trunk and flipped open the lid. He reached inside, careful of disturbing the delicate items placed neatly within, and slowly pulled out a small portrait in a wooden frame and held it out to her.

A small gasp left Kagome's lips as she slowly took the old, yet well kept painting into her hands. "It's me..."

Indeed, it was a picture of her, hands tucked within the sleeves of a simple pale green kimono, and serene smile drawn on her lips as she looked down at the village settled below the rocky cliffside she stood on. The moon illuminated the sky above, the shadows casted by her figure curled around her body to form a silhouette of a raven wolf whose sapphire eyes also watched over the little town below.

Kagome's fingers gently traced the familiar strokes of color, careful of her claws, with a nostalgic smile. "Your ancestor, Megumi must have painted this. She was a wonderful artist."

"Hai," Ryoji nodded, now having no doubt that this was indeed the family guardian. "Her name is written on the back."

She flipped the portrait to look curiously behind it and, sure enough, Megumi's signature was written in black ink. "This is one of her paintings I have never seen before." She admitted as she turned it back to once again gaze at the work of art.

"You haven't?" Haruhi questioned, surprised when she received a single negative shake of the head.

"But I understand why." Kagome murmured. "Like most of your ancestors, Megumi was afraid I would not remember her once she passed and become a forgotten face within the numbers of her lineage. Despite my assurances, she was adamant in her belief." She glanced up at her now captivated audience. "Therefore, I allowed her to paint one of the interior walls of my home. I didn't mind since many before have gifted me with works of art for the same reason and she was quite pleased to be able to leave her mark."

"But that doesn't explain why she never showed you this one." Ryoji spoke up, frowning in obvious confusion.

"I was getting to that." She watched in amusement as he ducked his head with an embarrassed blush. "One day, I confessed to Megumi and her family that I may be forced to step back in the coming future and watch over their line from afar." She explained with a soft smile directed back at the painting. "I suppose you could say this was her way to ensure that _I_ would not become a forgotten face over the generations." She traced the picture once more. "Now I understand why she was not surprised by my young appearance..." She mumbled to herself.

"She?" Haruhi repeated curiously, having a feeling she wasn't speaking of her ancestor any longer. "Who are you talking about?"

Kagome stilled momentarily before gently setting the painting on the low table and placing her hands on her lap. She took a deep breath through her nose, seemingly bracing herself for their reaction to her next words. "Your okaasan." Sharp intakes of breath were heard as they stared at her in complete shock. "I must confess that I visited her a few times at the hospital not long after her diagnosis. On most of our conversations, I remained hidden and when I finally revealed my face," Her eyes narrowed as she remembered her expression that night. "She was not surprised by my appearance." She focused back on them, her expression honest. "Please know that I did _everything_ in my power to save her, but I am no Kami, and could not stop her death."

Understanding dawned on both their faces.

"Y-you were the anonymous party..." Ryoji stated quietly.

"Hai..."

"The room? The paid medical bills?" Haruhi spoke up.

"It was the least I could do..."

Kagome lowered her eyes to the table when the scent of tears touched her nose, not exactly sure if they will be upset with her past deeds or not. The rustle of clothes was her only warning before a small body collided with her own in a tight embrace. Looking up, surprised sapphires connected with understanding teary-eyed cinnamon.

"We understand." Haruhi gave a watery smile.

"It wasn't you're fault." Ryoji agreed as he settled beside her and draped an arm around her shoulder in a semi-hug. "In fact, we must thank you since the doctors you sent were able to give Kotoko time to leave in peace. That was more than what we were originally given."

"Neither of you are upset?" Kagome glanced between them uncertainly. She received twin shakes of the head.

"Although, I do feel like you have a debt on us now." Haruhi muttered aloud as she and her father pulled away from the group embrace. Great, now she had another debt to pay. "How did you even have the money to pay for all of it? Did you just accumulate wealth over the centuries?" She asked curiously.

"No, I own a company."

**"You _own_ a company?"** They repeated in disbelief.

Kagome nodded. "Ookami Industries." She lifted a questioning brow at their bewildered stares. "Do you not watch the news?" She found it hard to believe that they have not heard of her business with the amount of media constantly surrounding her.

"No..."

"Not really..."

"Good. Don't ever believe the rumors they create of me." She shook her head lightly with a smile, grasping her forgotten cup of tea and raising it to her lips. Ignoring how cold the liquid now was, she allowed her eyes to slip shut as her posture relaxed. It was completely and utterly _relieving_ to release the burden of secrets from her shoulders and confess the entire truth to some trustworthy people.

"Oh my goodness!" Ryoji's abrupt excited squeal startled the two females. Kagome glanced at him to see his eyes entirely focused on a certain furry appendage swaying contently behind her. "It's so fluffy!"

'_You should see onii-sama's...'_ Kagome thought with a smirk.

"Otousan..." Haruhi warned when she noticed his hands were inching towards it. Ryoji pouted before aiming puppy dog eyes at Kagome.

"Can I touch your tail?" He clasped his hands together to his chest for emphasis. "Pretty please?"

"Hmm," She took another sip of her tea, gazing at him from the corner of one amused eye before looking over to the two items they brought into the living area earlier. "Only if you show me what those hold. I'm curious to see what else is inside."

"Deal!" Ryoji readily agreed before promptly hugging the tail to himself. His eyes shut with a giggle as he ran his fingers through the incredibly soft strands of raven fur. "Haruhi! Bring the black case to Kagome-sama." He waved towards the general direction he knew it rested on the floor before returning to his previous actions.

"Fine." Haruhi shook her head at her fathers antics, a smile playing her lips, and stood to her feet to do as she was told. Walking over, she grabbed the long container she brought in earlier and returned to her seat, placing it on the low table in front of Kagome. "You're going to like what's inside."

Glancing curiously between their grinning faces, Kagome carefully snapped open the clasps with a flick of her fingers and lifted the lid. Her breath bitched, lips parting in shock, when her eyes landed on a familiar golden staff nestled within the violet silk. "Onii-chan..." She breathed, a wave of nostalgia hitting her as she tentatively picked up the weapon, a softness entering her eyes when the rings chimed with the movement and holy energy gently brushed against her in recognition.

"The stories did say you were close with our ancestors, the houshi, Miroku, and taijiya, Sango." Ryoji paused in his snuggling to speak with a kind smile. "So it would be a good start to show you something familiar from your past first."

"..." Kagome nodded distractedly as she ran a finger over the head of the staff, gently pushing against its sharp edges. The skin broke, but not enough to draw blood. "The edges are dull from age," she commented quietly. Her fingers slowly trailed down the smooth surface of the rod, scrutinizing blue eyes searching for any nicks and depressions. "But it's in fairly perfect condition..." A smile came to her lips. "I'm glad Miroku-sama's Shakujo has not been lost to time."

"Do you know where Hiraikotsu is?" Harahi questioned curiously.

"No." Sorrow flashed momentarily through her eyes as she gripped the staff close to her chest. "It disappeared along with its owner. I never found a trace of either's whereabouts." She sighed; she's been doing that a lot in the last few hours. "Will you show me more?" She asked them, absently tapping a golden ring, causing it to tinkle softly.

"Of course!" Ryoji beamed enthusiastically, though he showed no sign of releasing his tight grip on Kagome's tail anytime soon. His whole body was practically wrapped happily around the velvety appendage.

"Otousan, you're going to have to let go if you want to get up to show her anything," Haruhi stated dryly.

"Never!"

"It's fine." Kagome assured. With ease, she rose to her feet, chuckling when Ryoji made a surprised sound and clutched her tail tighter in response. Raising a brow at his determined grip, she swayed her tail to one side.

"O-otousan!" Haruhi called between giggles. Her laughter only doubled when Kagome walked effortlessly towards the chest, her father clinging desperately to the steadily swinging raven tail. "Let go!"

"I said never!"

* * *

><p>*Time Skip* <em>The Next Day<em>

Haruhi sighed as she stood in the dinning hall, watching the bickering twins attempt to order different lunches than the other at the counter.

"**I'll have the A Lunch." **They stiffened at their simultaneous words, glancing at one another in annoyance. **"Actually, give me the B Pasta and D Salad**!" They quickly corrected together. **"No! The Cappellini and Barbary duck!" **Finally having enough, they turned to each other with frustrated growls, brows angled in a glare and tick marks pulsing on their heads. The chefs and surrounding students took this moment to warily back away from the arguing duo.** "Stop copying me****! ****Why don't you just leave me alone!"**

"Amazing..." Haruhi muttered dryly. "Perfect unison even when fighting..."

"I was wondering what all the fuss was about." Tamaki's voice caught her attention. Following it, she spotted him entering the cafeteria with three familiar hosts trailing behind him. Honey's cheerful self was surrounded by pink flowers while Mori remained indifferent and Kyoya continued writing along in his notebook. Her eyes narrowed with a thoughtful hum. Something was missing here... "I can't believe the two of you are still fighting. You're a disgrace to the Host Club." Tamaki said with a disappointed frown.

Excited whispers from the female population, even some male students, filled the cafeteria as they watched the famous Host Club interact outside of their usual prepared routines. Of course, their murmurs were ignored as Honey tried to offer a strawberry cake as a peace offering to get Hikaru and Kaoru to be civil. Yet his friendly actions only served to irritate the brothers even more, forcing Mori to carry his small cousin away before the situation could worsen.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki greeted the disguised female with a wide smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here!"

"I was worried about those two so I followed them without even thinking," She explained, cinnamon eyes flickering over to the still quarreling brothers before lowering to rest on the wrapped box in her hands. "I always bring a bento and go eat in the garden with Kaname..." The missing host's name immediately caught everyones attention as Haruhi's eyes widened in alarm. "Kaname! I forgot that we always meet up during lunch!"

Kyoya paused on his walk to the table alongside them, his fingers unconsciously tightening the slightest bit around his lunch tray as he gazed at Haruhi through narrowed eyes. "How long has this been going on?" He asked, a hint of displeasure hidden in his voice.

Haruhi shrugged, looking at her boxed lunch thoughtfully. "Since we first met, I guess." She answered, completely missing his tone. "I have to go find him." She took a step, intending to leave the dinning hall and search for her friend to bring him back here, only to be stopped by a large hand landing on her head. She blinked, glancing up at Mori in surprise. "Mori-sempai?"

"I'll find him."

* * *

><p>Kaname sat on the grass covered ground, one leg stretched out with the other bent upward in front of him. His hands rested on his lap, eyes closed as he leaned against the base of a wide tree. It was the same tree he and Haruhi used to meet up to converse over lunch since they had absolutely no classes together. Both of them preferred the isolated tranquility of the outdoors over the clamorous dinning hall inside.<p>

A corner of his lips fell into a small frown when five minutes passed with no sign of Haruhi. She should have been here by now...

"...?" The softest of footsteps were heard approaching as a familiar scent came across his nose. He remained still, feigning sleep as the person came to a stop and slowly settled beside him. He waited curiously to see what he will do, absently wondering why he was even here in the first place.

"Kaname?"

At the tentative call of his 'name,' deep sapphires leisurely opened, instantly meeting inquisitive powder blues. "You discovered my alias," He remarked, a smirk stretching his lips.

"It wasn't hard," Nekozawa shrugged, holding his head up instead of its usual downwards angle to keep the hood of his cloak and the dark green strands of his wig out of his eyes. "You have a large fan-base," he told him, chuckling when Kaname's blue eyes briefly flared with annoyance.

"Why are you here?" Kaname asked.

"I was heading to the Black Magic club room for lunch when I caught your scent." He shrugged lightly, not completely answering his question. He tilted his head, shifting to sit on his knees towards him. "It's hard to believe we've been attending the same school this entire time, yet we only met yesterday. Although I'm not surprised. You have impeccable control of your youki." He complimented, his aura gently brushing against his, only to find nothing but life energy. No opposing force or retaliating spiritual push back, just like in every other average human.

"Thank you." Kaname murmured, resting his head against the tree once more. "Now, what would you like to know?" He glanced sideways to a startled Umehito with a knowing look. "Your curiosity is why you sought me out, correct?"

"Ehehehe," Nekozawa's posture straightened in surprise as he chuckled nervously at being found out. "You _are_ an interesting individual, Kagome-sama." He defended himself.

"No need for -sama's when we are alone, Umehito-san." Kaname muttered. "But I would prefer if you refer to me by my alias when I'm under this guise." He blinked as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Did you tell Hiroshi about me attending here?" He questioned inquisitively.

"Hai. He was very surprised." Nekozawa grinned, remembering the phone call with his grandfather. "He said he knew about the general points of your plan, attending as a male high school student to get closer to one of the descendants you watch over, but not the actual details. He was, in the end, pleased to hear that high school was Ouran Academy." He inched the slightest bit closer. "He also warned me not to anger you and told me of his encounters with your unorthodox powers." He shifted closer again. "If it's not too much to ask... may I feel your energy?"

_'So that's what he's curious about..._' Humming in amusement, Kaname wordlessly raised a hand and gently placed it on Nekozawa's cheek. Relaxing the tight grip of his control, his aura flared briefly as he pushed his energy to travel through his arm and onto his palm, the subtlest sheen of blue light radiating from his skin.

A small gasp left Nekozawa's lips, his eyes widening as miko ki and youki, forces once thought to oppose one other, balanced out and twined together to create a unique blanket of energy that enveloped his entire being. Lids lowered over dazed powder blue, a steady purr escaping his throat as he leaned into Kaname's hand, surrendering to the pleasing caress. It felt like hot and cold blending together to produce the warmest sensation he had ever experienced.

"Ahem."

Both shades of blue eyes snapped towards the sound of a throat clearing, completely surprised at finding Mori watching them intently not too far away. Kaname frowned as he compressed his aura, the blue sheen of light instantly dissolving away. Lightly patting a pouting Nekozawa's cheek, he retracted his hand and placed it back on his lap. This was the second time in the last twenty-four hours that he had found himself unaware of his surroundings and caught entirely off guard by someone's sudden presence. He was lowering his guard far too often and, as an Alpha, that was not acceptable...

"Well, I better go if I want to eat lunch." Nekozawa spoke up as he got to his feet, shifting uncomfortably when he sensed Kaname's displeasure. He didn't know the cause for his abrupt sentiment, but he wasn't about to stick around to find out. "Thank you for indulging in my curiosity, Kaname-sama." He bowed gratefully.

"No formalities, Umehito-san." Kaname reminded him.

"R-right," Nekozawa righted himself with a sheepish smile. "I'll see you later, Kaname-san."

Kaname only nodded in farewell, watching his departing form for a moment before turning his gaze to Mori. He raised a questioning brow when the tall male walked rigidly to stand in front of him, intense stare still firmly in place.

"What has you so tense?"

Mori blinked, seemingly snapping out of his stiff state at hearing Kaname's voice. His face morphed into one of confusion and he looked away from Kaname's questioning gaze to stare at a random tree while shifting uneasily on his feet.

"Takashi."

A firm hand grasped the underside of Mori's jaw and forced him to face the grips owner, startled steel gray connecting with stern sapphires. A faint flush dusted Mori's cheeks at their sudden close proximity, the scent of cherry blossoms under the morning dew hitting his nose full force. He gave a quiet sigh, unconsciously taking deep inhales of the vaguely feminine, yet soothingly natural scent.

"Why are you upset?" Kaname questioned.

"... It's nothing." Mori assured, his hand rising to wrap around Kaname's wrist before gently pulling the grip he had on his face free. He saw the evident skepticism in those blue orbs as they narrowed, but said nothing. He honestly couldn't say why he was upset. He only knew _who_ was causing his frustration as a certain cloak-wearing, cat-loving senior came to mind. But he couldn't very well tell his friend that. He didn't think Kaname would take him speaking ill of someone he was obviously close with very well. He took another calming breath before finally composing himself. "Haruhi is eating in the dining hall." He gave Kaname's wrist a tug, urging him to follow. "I came here to get you." He took a step back, turning his body to face the direction he came, fully expecting Kaname to allow him to pull him along as usual. Yet Mori was surprised when the 'Mysterious Host' dug his heels into the ground, preventing him from taking a step further. He glanced back at him in question.

"I prefer to stay here." Kaname declared. Seeing Mori's bewildered expression, he decided to clarify. "The dining hall is loud," he stated, a small grimace working its way on his lips. "The Hitachiin's bickering is louder."

"But you need to eat." Mori frowned as he turned back to face him fully. He completely understood Kaname's desire for a peaceful atmosphere since he himself preferred one over the chattering room he left behind holding the boisterous twins. But he didn't think it was healthy for Kaname to skip lunch just for that reason alone.

"I'm not hungry." Kaname stated flippantly. And it was true. He never ate lunch since youkai didn't necessarily have to eat as regularly as humans do. "But you probably are." He pulled his wrist out of Mori's grip before walking back to his previous seat against the tree. "You should return to the dining hall." He advised as he sat back down and closed his eyes.

Mori's frown only deepened as he stared at the resting male for a moment before reaching into his pocket and retrieving his cell phone. After pressing a series of buttons, he returned the device to its original place and strolled over to sit beside Kaname. A single sapphire orb opened to gaze at him in curious surprise.

"You are not going eat?" Kaname spoke up.

"I am." Mori responded with a small smile. An eyebrow rose at him in silent question, yet he offered no answer and only continued to smile.

Realizing that Mori wasn't going to explain further, Kaname huffed silently through his nose and shut his eye as he leaned his head back against the tree. Sighing deeply, he felt his body slacken as he listened to the tinkling creak nearby as it ran by tall trees holding thickly leaved branches dancing gently with the wind. The steady beat of the strong heart resting beside him accompanied the calming melody and he had to resist the tempting urge to doze off, a serene smile lightly playing his lips. He was completely unaware of the steel gray eyes observing him with a content smile of his own.

The sound of approaching footsteps forced Kaname out of his tranquil state, his eyes snapping towards the direction with a displeased frown. Who else was coming to disturb his peace?

"Takashi! Kame-chan! Where are you?" A familiar child-like voice called out. "Are they hiding from us, Haru-chan?" He asked as rustling was heard.

"No, Honey-sempai. Besides, I doubt they could hide in that little bush." She stated dryly as more rustling, along with a small creak of branches, followed her words. "Or in that tree." She sighed. Mori chuckled lightly while Kaname hummed in amusement as they continued to listen in. "Get down, sempai. I already know where they are." There was a soft thump before they're footsteps once again started towards their position.

"Takashi! Kame-chan!" Honey exclaimed when he spotted them, running to them excitedly. "We finally found you!" He beamed as he stopped before them, holding Usa-chan in his arms.

"It's not like they were trying to hide," Haruhi muttered to herself as she walked to them at a much calmer pace, leading five men dressed in all white. Four of them were holding four covered trays while the last held a white blanket and small tables. "Hey, Kaname, Mori-sempai." Haruhi greeted them with a small smile. She sat down on the grass beside Kaname while Honey sat by Mori, forming a semi circle.

"What is all this?" Kaname inquired when one of the men, he assumed they were cafeteria workers, unfolded and stretched out a blanket before placing four small antique tables on it. Settling a tray on each, they removed the silver lids with bright smiles, revealing a wide variety of hot, freshly cooked food before bowing and leaving them to return to the dining hall.

"Our lunch," Haruhi responded, sweat dropping at the unnecessary extravagance. "I tried to tell them that you don't eat lunch and that I had my own," she looked down at the bento on her lap. "But they wouldn't listen." She grumbled. "And gomen for making you wait, Kaname-kun." Haruhi gazed up at him apologetically. "Hikaru and Kaoru's bickering distracted me."

"It's fine." Kaname patted her head in acceptance. "Who ordered the food?"

"I did!" Honey spoke up happily as he moved to sit on the blanket. "Takashi texted me and said he wanted to have lunch outside so I ordered the food and me and Haru-chan sneaked away with the workers when everyone was watching Hika-chan and Kao-chan fight again." He giggled happily as flowers danced around his head.

Kaname glanced at Mori in realization. "Takashi?" He called amusedly, a hint of accusation in his tone.

A light blush dusted Mori's cheeks as he grasped Kaname's wrist and gave it a light tug. "...You need to eat." He explained his reasoning.

"..." Kaname sighed, deciding it would be easier to simply indulge Mori's wishes. "Very well..." The corner of his lips twitched when the tall male smiled at him, an almost victorious glint in his steel gray orbs, before pulling him towards the blanket.

Haruhi observed the entire scene with a small smile. She had noticed how attentive Mori had begun to act over Kaname's wellbeing, despite not actually needing it, and she found it rather sweet. She absently wondered if Mori was even aware of the feelings he unconsciously held hidden behind his own actions and mentally shrugged. She didn't want to assume anything yet. She was just happy Kaname had someone else he could possibly open to.

"Haruhi."

Said female blinked out of her thoughts and gazed at the one who called her. She tilted her head curiously when Kaname pointed at the only untouched lunch tray. Mori had already begun eating at a steady pace as he encouraged a pouting Honey to eat his lunch before moving onto the dessert.

"If I'm being forced to eat, then so will you."

"But I-"

"There's ootoro." Kaname gave a knowing smirk.

"..." The barest of flushes touched her cheeks as she stared longingly at the tray. _'Well... I wouldn't want to waste good food..."_

* * *

><p>Kaname blinked lazily as he watched Hikaru and Kaoru fling random projectiles at one another in a wide arc, a large pile up of objects forming in the middle of the club room. Apparently the twins' arguments have worsened to the point that the Host Club was forced to remain closed for the day, a fact he was entirely relived for. Lifting a hand towards the small table beside his seated form, he broke off another bite of his cake and brought it to his awaiting mouth, absently wondering how much longer the twins were going to keep up this charade of anger. Their bickering didn't necessarily bother him, but the volume of noise created by it did, and he hoped whatever they were planning would come to an end soon or he would be forced to step in.<p>

A few more minutes of furious throwing passed until the fighting duo finally stopped to catch their breath, glaring heatedly at one another and ignoring their fellow hosts witnessing their battle of wills.

"Don't you two think you've fought for long enough?" Tamaki asked exasperatedly, bringing a hand to his throbbing head as he felt a headache coming along. "It's driving me insane."

"It's driving _you_ insane!?" Hikaru repeated angrily. "How do you think I feel right now!?" He countered hotly. "Every time I look in the mirror, I see his face! I'm sick and tired of constantly being mistaken for you, Kaoru!" He shouted bitterly at his twin. "The truth is: I hate your guts!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Kaoru stated indignantly. "In fact, I hate you so much, I bought this!" He reached within the inside pocket of his jacket. "Beelzenef the cursed doll!" He pulled out the wooden cat. At seeing this, Tamaki gave a horrified gasp and quickly backed away to hide behind Kaname's seated form. "I'm going to write your name on his back, Hikaru." Kaoru told him as he held a black marker and began writing on the wooden cat. "From this day forward, you are going to experience nothing but misfortune and sorrow!"

Kaname's eyes narrowed, his fork pausing mid-stab into his treat as he placed a calming hand on Tamaki's head. The blonde was shaking by now, endless tears of panic falling dramatically from his eyes, yet the fear was real as Tamaki clutched the ends of the raven's uniform jacket in tight fists. Running his finger soothingly through the blonde tresses, Kaname tried to calm him as he remembered Hiroki's encounter with curses. Despite not remembering his past life, it seemed Tamaki held an inexplainable fear that reflexively warned him of any supernatural danger. Humming thoughtfully to himself, he lifted a fork-full of cake to his mouth, deciding to simply observe the events unfold. He didn't have to wait long and watched as Haruhi ran towards the twins and punched them both in the head, the surprise of her attack sending them both to the ground.

"Will you guys knock it off!" Haruhi snapped, yanking the cursed doll out of Kaoru's hand. "What do you think you're doing bringing something like this into a petty fight!" She glared down at them as she held up the wooden cat. The two idiots had no idea of the real dangers they were recklessly playing with. "Both of you are at fault, but what's really sad is that you brought everyone else into your big mess!" She yelled furiously. "Now apologize to each other! If you don't make up right now, I'm never going to let you come over to my house!" She warned them. "Have I made myself clear?"

A smirk lifted Kaname's lips as the pieces finally fell into place, observing as the shock melted away from Hikaru and Kaoru's faces to be replaced by devious smirks.

**"So then what you're saying Haruhi, is that if we make up, we can come over to your place?"** They asked in their usual manner, circling to stand behind her. With practiced ease, they wrapped an arm around each other and leaned against one another, placing a hand on their hips and crossed one leg by their ankles, creating a prefect mirror image of each other as lights shimmered on their bodies and roses bloomed behind them.

"Huh?" Looking away from the smirking twins, Haruhi gazed at the doll in her hand and slowly turned it over to read the word 'Blank' written on it's back. "..." It took a moment for the situation to finally register in her mind before she blinked in realization. "Ahhh!" She screamed in horror as they gave each other victorious high-fives. It had all been a trick!

"Gomen, Kaoru." Hikaru embraced his brother by the waist with gentle eyes. "Even though I was just following our script, I said such awful things to you," He murmured regretfully. "I'm not fit to be your brother."

"Don't say that Hikaru!" Kaoru countered as he cupped his twin's face with both hands. "I was so worried. I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you…" She confessed sorrowfully.

"Kaoru I'll never let you go again!"

"Hikaru~!"

All the hosts, beside Kaname, completely blanched as they watched the twincest routine in disbelief. The wooden cat fell heedlessly from Haruhi's grip to clatter loudly against the hard floor before she too fell onto her hands and knees. From his position, Tamaki completely deflated, his head slipping off Kaname's lap to fall face first against the marble ground in shock.

"You got to be kidding!" Honey shouted, waving his arms wildly. "You mean you were faking it this whole time?!"

"**We didn't have anything else to** **do."** They shrugged uncaringly.** "We were bored." **

"Twins with too much time on their hands…" Tamaki pried his face off the ground to stare blankly at the laughing twins. "Are the devil…"

Kaname placed his fork on his now empty plate before rising to his feet. Stepping over Tamaki's fallen form, he walked over to where a shocked Haruhi still remained on her hands and knees and picked up the cursed doll resting innocently beside her.

"Hmm..." He hummed thoughtfully, turning the wooden cat slowly in his hands. His eyes narrowed as a small amount of darkness held within the doll pushed to the surface to brush against his hand in acknowledgement before receding back into its wooden containment. It seemed harmless enough. But...

"...?" Mori, who had been observing Kaname curiously, watched questionably as he turned and walked purposely towards the club door. "Where are you going?" He couldn't be leaving yet, at least not without Haruhi. His question brought the rest of the room occupants' attention to the departing host.

Kaname paused at the room's entrance, not bothering to glance back. "To find a careless kitty." They could practically hear the smirk in his usually disinterested voice. "I won't be long." With that, he stepped out of the room and continued down the hallway, leaving behind a group of confused hosts.

* * *

><p><em><strong>~Omake~<strong>_

* * *

><p>Nekozawa hummed lightly to himself as he walked down the halls of Ouran Academy. He was the president of the Black Magic Club, and as such, he had stayed behind after-school to organize the necessary preparations for the meeting the following day.<p>

A shiver suddenly wracked his spine, causing him to pause mid-step. His brows creased in confusion at the sensation. Was someone speaking of him? The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he glanced warily over his shoulder into the shadowed, seemingly empty hallway. No... Someone was watching him...

Looking forward once more, he began walking at a quicker pace, his cloak gently flaring with the movement. Spreading his senses, a frown soon marred his lips when he came back with nothing. Whoever it was had to be an experienced nonhuman, a little fact that set him further on edge and making him tense in preparation for a surprise attack.

No sooner did the thought pass Nekozawa's mind did he take a quick step to the right, narrowly avoiding the arms that had attempted to grab him from behind. Growling softly, the darkness enveloped the entire hallway at his will, the action catching his attacker momentarily off guard. With swift movements, he took hold of his opponent's wrist, yanking him towards the wall and slamming him against it forcefully.

"Who are you!?" Nekozawa bared his fangs, twisting the assailants arm against his back and holding a clawed hand threateningly to his neck. In his moment of anger, Nekozawa lost control of his youki, the human glamour dissolving to reveal the bristled, pale blonde fur of a sleek tail lashing out sharply under the cover of his cloak.

"Not bad." The attacker, definitively male, chuckled.

Nekozawa blinked in confusion at the unusual response, his grip on the unknown person unconsciously loosening a degree. Why did that voice sound familiar to him...? "Oomph!" A grunt left his lips as he soon found himself flat on his stomach, his arms held firmly within the grip of a hand above his head and a weight on his back confirming he was being sat upon as a chair. He inwardly cursed himself for becoming distracted at such a crucial moment and attempted to fight free from his restraints.

"But you could do better," the male voice continued casually. "You are, after all, of Hiroshi's blood."

Nekozawa stilled in his struggles, his eyes widening in recognition. "Kaname-san?" He commanded the darkness away, the shadows melting from their surroundings to allow the dimming rays of the sunset to illuminate the hall. He glanced over his shoulder and, sure enough, there seated sideways on his back was Kaname. "Why did you attack me?"

"Skills test." Kaname responded simply. "Hiroshi will be displeased to hear you have neglected your training." He smirked when the neko paled at his words. Releasing the grip on his hands, he made no move to stand and instead reached into his jacket. "Not only was I able to subdue you, but I found this." He stated as he placed an item on the floor in front of Nekozawa's head.

"...?" Nekozawa placed his chin on the floor and blinked curiously at the wooden cat staring back at him with its carved eyes. His nose twitched as he caught the many scents clinging to it. "It is the cursed doll Hitachiin-san bought from me." Frowning confusedly at where this was going, he took hold of it with both hands, his eyes widening as he instantly recognized his mistake. Before it was sold, the doll had been in his presence long enough to have a small amount of darkness attach itself to it without his noticing. The energy alone was harmless, but if someone were to have written a name on the doll, it would be enough power to curse the victim with misfortune and sickness. Gulping nervously, he slowly turned his head to look back at a pensive Kaname with wide eyes.

"Do you have any plans today, Umehito-san?"

"Umm..." He blinked, taken slightly aback, before shaking his head negatively. "No, not really..."

"Hmm..." A slow smirk stretched his lips. "Would you like to become my new sparing partner.?" The glint that entered his sapphire orbs contradicted his friendly suggestion. "I'm sure Hiroshi will be pleased to know I am overseeing your training."

"I'm sure he would." Nekozawa mustered a shaky smile, knowing he had no choice but to accept "I'd be honored, Kaname-san..."

"Good." Kaname finally stood, offering a hand to Nekozawa. "Wait here," He instructed as he helped the neko to his feet. "I must retrieve Haruhi."

Nekozawa nodded, watching Kaname stroll down the hallway before disappearing around the corner to another corridor. As soon as he was out of sight, Nekozawa frantically began patting around his pockets, searching for a specific something that will save him from the predicament he was now in.

A small triumphant cry left his lips as his fingers brushed against silk and he carefully took it out of the hidden pocket of his cloak.

"Beelzenef." He held the cream colored puppet up with both hands, a serious expression adorning his face. Beelzenef blinked slowly, seemingly coming to life, before gazing up at his master questionably. "I need you to get help." Beelzenef's pointed ears lowered in worry and he opened his little mouth as if to say something, only to be cut off. "I don't have time to explain. Just find help!" Nodding hesitantly, the puppets little frame straightened determinately before his form darkened and he faded into the surrounding shadows.

Heaving a sigh, Nekozawa waited anxiously to see who would return first: Kaname or Beelzenef. Donning his human illusion, he hoped the latter will win this little unofficial race. He shivered remembering the sadistic gleam in those sapphire eyes, and considering said owner of those eyes were trained by the ruthless Western Lord himself, it was safe to assume this 'training' will leave him with more than a few broken bones. Although he could hold his own in a fight, he didn't think he could stand a chance against a veteran warrior. He would admit, if only to himself, that he had been a bit careless and slacked off on his training a bit lately.

"Umehito-san."

Stiffening at the familiar voice, Nekozawa looked towards the call of his name and came face to face with who he had been dreading to see first.

"Let's go."

Kaname took the lead and began walking down the corridor towards the Academy exit. A grumbling Haruhi managed a small smile in greeting to the tense cat, an almost knowing edge to her expression, before resuming her annoyed mutterings of 'conniving bastards' and following after Kaname, leaving Nekozawa to reluctantly trail after them.

"Umehito-san." Kaname paused, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Hai?"

"I found this." He turned his body halfway and held out his hand, a familiar cream puppet resting across it. "It belongs to you, correct?"

_'Beelzenef, you idiot!'_

"A-ah, hai. Thank you..." Nekozawa mumbled as he grabbed the cat puppet, following after the two when they continued walking. _'Maybe I do need this_ _training_...' He reasoned to himself. '_I'm like a curious newborn kitten with how often I get distracted...'_ He hung his head, a dark cloud overshadowing him as he finally accepted his fate. Beelzenef could only pat Nekozawa's hand consolingly, wondering if he had gotten the help his master had wanted.

"What's up with him?" Haruhi murmured, gazing back at the depressed cat curiously.

"Hn." Kaname cut a glance his way before looking forward once more, a smirk teasing his lips. "Who knows..."

* * *

><p><strong>To clear some things:<strong>

**-In chapter two, it was vaguely referenced by Shippo that one of the descendants vanished without a trace. That same person was the one who owned Hiraikotsu before they completely disappeared together.**

**- Think of Beelzenef as Nekozawa's familiar. Like Koryu is to Souten. I'm not sure yet what Beelzenef's true form will be, only that he can transform into a puppet in order to always be with his master.**

**I'm sorry for the sporadic updates ! I don't exactly have a muse, the ideas just come and go as they please. Anyway, review ! And thank you to all my loyal followers/reviewers !**

***Chibi Taisho**


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